Well, this is going to be an interesting test of will. I have sent off for the purple plastic bracelet that you can see in the photos. Since plastic bracelets have been all the craze since Lance Armstrong introduced his several years back.
I happened upon this particular bracelet while reading some article over at MSNBC. It is an interesting bracelet. While others, of differing colors, are all about various diseases, causes and wars etc. This one happens to be quite simple in idea. It is called the "No Complaints" bracelet. The challenge is that you do not complain, criticize, gossip or use sarcasm for 21 days. Each time that you do, you must switch it to the other wrist. Interesting. It also lead me to a web site called Daily Good which I think I am going to link to because it is an awesome concept that we should try and do something of a good nature every day no matter how small the action.
The man that started this bracelet is a pastor of a small church in Kansas. There is no charge. That is also quite interesting since all of the other ones are for purchase. they have a staff of church volunteers that take the orders and mail them. They caution that it may take 3 to 5 weeks to receive them, but that gives me time to prepare myself mentally for such an ordeal. I am already thinking about the challenges that I will face.
I don't think about the time that I spend using sarcasm or gossiping. Even if it is just small moments in time, like a 5 minute rant about a manager at work or about someone that cuts you off in traffic. I think that it might be a great way to not only become more stress free, but also less condemning of other people. The crabby lady in the coffee line might be running late for work or just had an early morning fight with her hubby or kid. Instead of me complaining about how rude she was I need to realize that she might have had stuff that affected her world that day.
As for the rude people that refuse to get off their cell phones as they try to order, well, they may just be plain out rude, but who am I to judge them? It is just my job to hand them coffee and take their money. So, they are rude, why should I care. It is the people behind them that will chastise them with their audible sighs and leering looks!!
I am sure that I will be surprised at the amount of time I use to complain. I wonder how much less conversation I will be having? Makes me smile actually. Now, I will still have to listen to other people complain, but I think that I am going to continue to share the info and the idea and see where it leads. They are free. It is a cool idea. It would be nicer if we were all a little nicer. Let me know if you decide to give it a try. I plan to track my progress on this blog and I'll let you know when I begin.
I wonder if the written complaint counts. Probably. I hope that I am still able to find something to write about!! I'm up for the challenge.
6 comments:
There's no way I could take that challenge! I consider bitching and moaning about trivial stuff to be a great stress reliever! And I blog so I can bitch and moan about the more important stuff!
Seriously, as a way to remind ourselves to take it easy on other folks, it's a pretty good idea. I might give it a shot, although I'm not promising I won't have to switch wrists every hour or so!
Mixter
Are you kidding!! I will look like a helicopter my arms will be moving in a switching motion so often that I might take off!! You have to start over, at 21 days, every time that you do switch, so I may be at this for a VERY long time!! Although I think it will be fun and an interesting challenge.
These bracelets sound like a grand idea...though I don't know how long I could go without sarcasm...trying might be a good thing...let me know how well you do
See, I think it means "mean" and "nasty" sarcasm, not the humorous variety, so that is how I plan to approach it. I think it will be a long affair.
what about if you THINK a sarcastic or critical thought. Does that count? Could get a tad impossible if that were the case!
Well, that is a good point, but the idea that I got is that the approach is to try to make people nicer by not saying these things out loud. Check it out and see what you think.
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