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The Purple Bracelet I was introduced to the purple bracelet while watching a recent Oprah show. As my readers know by now I’m always looking for tools that can help us progress along the spiritual journeys of our lives. The purple bracelet is definitely one of those tools. Used properly, the bracelet is designed to give you the nudge that moves your energy from negative complaint mode to a more positive and productive vibration. During that particular show, Oprah introduced Pastor Will Bowen of Christ Church Unity in Kansas City, Missouri. The purple bracelet with its message, “A Complaint Free World” is Pastor Bowen’s brainchild. One Sunday morning, the pastor gave a sermon about the benefits of a complaint free world and then passed out the bracelets—and a challenge—to his congregation. Could they remain complaint free for 21 days? Here’s the idea, according to Pastor Will: “If you catch yourself complaining, you take [the bracelet] and you move it to the other wrist. The idea is to ultimately keep it [on the same wrist] for 21 days.” Pastor Will chose this length of time because of scientific research that indicates that it takes approximately 21 days to form a new habit. According to Pastor Will, if everyone stopped complaining, the world would be a much better place.” A lot of other folks must agree with him. Although the experiment was originally designed only for his congregation, word soon spread—and spread and spread. By the time Pastor Will had appeared on the Oprah show, his church had given away 1.3 million purple bracelets. I’m writing this a few weeks after the Oprah show and that figure is now over four million! Note: Although the bracelets are free, donations are appreciated—and deserved. I decided to log on to the Complaint Free World website (http://acomplaintfreeworld.org) and order fifty bracelets for folks at my church and other friends who might be interested in taking on the complaint free challenge. Then a very interesting thing happened. Even though I didn’t have one of those purple bracelets, the vision of that bracelet started to pop into my mind whenever I complained or even thought about complaining. By golly, I was participating in the challenge even though I hadn’t received my bracelet yet. So far, here are a few of my observations: • I’m complaining a lot less and feeling a lot more positive in my life—and my ego seems to be cooperating. Using the purple bracelet technique is a lot like playing a game and my ego likes games. That makes it easier for the ego to get into the spirit of the thing and go along with the program instead of constantly trying to block it. • I’m attracting some marvelous synchronicities into my life. People seem to be responding to my energy with smiles. Things have started to fall into place in marvelous ways. For example, I’m having some rehab work done on the family cottage in Michigan. The other day, I stopped in at Menards home improvement store to check out some flooring and spotted just what I wanted at a great sale price. I called my cousin who is also my contractor and guess what? He just happened to be at the Menards in Kalamazoo. The problem: The flooring in Michigan, although on sale, was at least fifty cents per square foot more expensive. I talked to the department manager in Chicago who talked to the manager in Michigan and I got the Chicago price. My cousin was amazed. I had saved at least $1200. • I’ve started noticing how much complaining other people actually do. In the past, I would participate in the complaint game, adding some of my own. Now, I’m more apt to politely listen to their complains without adding my own. I’ve started to try focusing on some of the positives that exist in their lives. This is a work in progress because there is so much “misery loves company” conversation going on and often others don’t understand when you’re not in that space. One thing I’ve found is that they’re more comfortable with your “new” way of talking when you tell them you’re playing the Complaint Free World game. Also, sometimes you can find interesting ways of raising their vibration. For example, the other day when I was in Dominick’s grocery store, I smiled at the harried looking cashier and sincerely asked her how she was doing. Her response was a half-hearted “OK, I guess.” I said, “I bet you can find something that you are thankful for.” I could feel her energy rise as she said, “You know, I am thankful that I have this job. I really am.” So, I suggest that you log on to the Complaint Free World site and order your own purple bracelet. Click on the “Suggested Use” link and read the directions under the heading “How Does it Work?” Those directions state: Scientists believe it takes 21 days to form a new habit and complaining is habitual for most of us. As Mark Twain said, we must coax our old behavior down the stairs. The bracelet you receive is a powerful tool to remind you of how well you are creating your life with positive intention. Here are the suggested rules: 1. Begin to wear the bracelet, on either wrist. 2. When you catch yourself complaining, gossiping or criticizing (it’s OK, everyone does), move the bracelet to the other arm and begin again. 3. If you hear someone else who is wearing a bracelet complain, you may 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! 4. Stay with it. It may take many months, but when you reach 21 days you will find that your entire life is happier, more loving, more positive and more abundant. Hmmm ... maybe, like me, you’ll start complaining less even before you get your bracelet in the mail. Take the complaint free challenge with me and let me know how it works for you.
Mary Montgomery is a certified web author and developer. Her company, Montgomery Media Enterprises (“Freelancing with Finesse!”), specializes in public relations, writing projects and web authoring, development and publicity, especially in the non-profit sector. Ms. Montgomery has a Master’s Degree in religious studies from Chicago Theological Seminary (CTS) and is working on a Ph.D. with a focus on the new scholarship of Unlimited Love and the Other Regarding Virtues. She is also in the process of completing the Morris Pratt Institute Course on Modern Spiritualism. Contact her via email at monty764@sbcglobal.net or at her web site at www.montymedia.com. |
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