How it began
Perhaps you’ve heard of the church that gave out rubber bracelets with the words No complaint. The idea was to wear the bracelet on one wrist, moving it to the other when you caught yourself complaining, with the hope of going 21 days without complaints. I’m not sure, if this was only for expressed complaints or included complaints in thought, but unexpressed to others.

They offered these bracelets to others for a donation. Later they added a charge for them.

My little complaint — sorry! — is that I ordered some bracelets for myself and a few friends which were never grandfathered in, so I never received them. I thought it would be a good exercise for us.

Prone to complaining
Some personality types seem more prone to chronic complaining. It’s not easy to be the person thinking complaints all the time or the one around them.

For the most part I try not to complain — perhaps I do more of it than I think!

I knew someone who would express negatives, then say, “I’m not complaining; I’m explaining!” However, it was voiced just the same.

Habit of complaining
The habit of complaining can be routed out of ourselves, sometimes with difficulty, if we desire it to be and are willing to work — and sometimes pray — toward it.

We can leave the negatives of our personality type behind and pick up the positives from other personality types as we become more Christlike.

Is complaining ever a good thing?
It’s hard to know what part of complaining is a good thing. It’s almost a truism that progress comes when complaint turns to action. If we were always satisfied with the status quo, we’d still have gas lights and live in caves.

Yet complaining for the sake of complaining, or being in the habit of complaint, works to suck the joy out of the very air around us — and out of the consciousness of those around us who might most need a little boost, not something to drag them down.

If our complaining doesn’t add up to our own happiness or the happiness of those around us, then it is time to be free(r) of it.

I venture to say that nearly everyone has a joy-sucker in their life — it isn’t always a person, it can be a situation — but hopefully we are not adding to the negatives!

Gratitude is riches
There’s a hymn with the words:

Our gratitude is riches, complaint is poverty. Vivian Burnett

It’s something to contemplate: that every bit of gratitude or appreciation expressed or even thought — no matter how small — adds to the riches of ourselves and those around us.

And then, the reverse: that every time we complain for the sake of complaining it depletes us in some way — or perhaps even worse, shows up on our face — ouch!

We would be less quick to complain about vexing situations, without some action following it that might bring change, if we would just catch ourselves with these reminders.

My bracelet
I thought about making a bracelet with the words No complaint, but for me, I wanted a positive reminder of what I hope to bring.

I was playing around with alphabet beads to see what letters I had to work with. It isn’t necessary to put much money into making a bracelet like these. I made two bracelets that I alternate wearing. If I find I really enjoy them, I will remake them in silver beads. I added crystals and carved beads to make them more interesting.

Create-Imagine-Appreciate

Bring Joy-Love-Pax

What do you do if you find yourself chronically complaining? What do you want to bring to situations? How do you keep resentments and complaints from sizzling?

Karin

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Beading, Emotions, Forgiveness, Hope, Inspiration and creativity, Joy and happiness, Just thinking, Opportunity, Pattern, Prayer, Resentment