Book review: A Complaint Free World

When a friend of mine told me about this book I said, “That’s for me”. It was. But not just for me. Who doesn’t like to whine, complain, criticize or back-talk? I do. But I won’t as much anymore, because Will Bowen is right. It is simply not constructive and he is doing his part to build a complaint free world.

The method is simple, but hard. Through his church in Kansas City he distributes purple bands. You put one your wrist and switch it to the other wrist when you discover that you have uttered a complaint. This makes you aware and this awareness will lead you to other ways of handling the situation.

Ridiculous? Perhaps. Will I do this? Probably not? Does it work? Probably. Benefits? Loads. It’s not that we should criticize or try to improve things that need changing, it’s just that whining and complaining are not good long term strategies and in the long run doesn’t help us to feel better about ourselves or others. Naïve? Yes. Worth the effort? Definitely.

Bowen’s simple is spreading around the world. Interviews on Oprah help, but the idea has great value. Try it!