Complaint Free Living Challenge

It's nearly Thanksgiving....time to give thanks and gratitude for all that we have. I love this quote by Tony Robbins. He goes on to advise us to "stand guard at the door of your mind: Condition empowering emotions such as gratitude, courage, faith, determination, compassion and love. Break your pattern and avoid emotions that create stress."  

As a teacher, there is so much about my job that is out of my control and somedays it feels like all I face is one stressful situation after another. Standing guard at the door of my mind is a full time job.  I am reading this international bestselling book by Will Bowen:

Like Robins, Will Bowen believes there really are no stressful situations, only stress filled thoughts. If you take control over your thoughts, you can live a stress free life.

Hmmm....what do you think, teachers? 

Over 6 million people in over 80 countries have taken the 21 Day No Complaint Challenge and they have shared their testimonies. 

You can listen to Will Bowen talk about it here: 

So the challenge is to go 21 days without complaining, criticizing or gossiping. 

Get a bracelet and read the rules from Bowen’s book:

1. “Begin to wear the bracelet on either wrist.

2. When you catch yourself complaining, gossiping, or criticizing, move the bracelet to the

other wrist.

3. If you hear someone else who is wearing a bracelet complain, it’s okay to point out

their need to switch the bracelet to the other arm; BUT if you’re going to do this, you must

move your bracelet first! Because you’re complaining about their complaining.

4. Stay with it. It may take many months to reach 21 consecutive days. The average is 4 to 8

months.”

Brian writes:

“To be clear, being Complaint Free isn’t about pretending there aren’t any challenges in our lives or in the world. There are. A lot of them.

The question is, what do we DO about it?! Let’s say we’re dissatisfied with something. Do we choose to DO SOMETHING constructive about it or do we choose to sit around and complain about it?

That’s really what this is all about. Will we be a victim or will we be a creator?”

There are four levels that you go through while doing the challenge; apparently most people quit at stage 2:

1. Unconscious Incompetence (Complainers who aren’t aware of how much they complain)

2. Conscious Incompetence (Complainers who are aware but still stuck in the habit)

3. Conscious Competence (Non-complainers who have to think about it)

4. Unconscious Competence (Non-complainers who just ARE it)

This is a tough, tough challenge! I didn't realize how much "complaining" I did until I started focusing on it.  I am stuck at stage 2. I was on day one forever.... then went to day two...slipped up and back to day one. Like Bowen says, it is not failure to bounce back, you are building awareness. No great change happens overnight, right? 

I have had to move that "bracelet" back and forth more times than I'd like to admit, but am determined to push through to 3!

 Bowen says working through these 21 days “diligently, patiently, persistently and playfully”, will rewire your brain to higher and happier levels of being. As Bowen said, “competence and happiness become your unconscious setting.” That sounds good to me!

Click the link below to check out Will Bowen's book: 

A Complaint Free World

Anyone interested in hooking up and taking this challenge? 

Email me at: youngdor8@gmail.com

or comment below!