One man's crusade to stop the world from complaining
The Rev. Will Bowen, a minister in Kansas City, encourages people to wear a bracelet that he hopes will remind them not to grouse or gossip for 21 days.
from the February 19, 2008 edition
Page 3 of 3
At 10 a.m. on a Saturday, volunteers gather in the basement of Christ Church Unity to begin filling hundreds of orders. The bracelets are no longer free, but the fees only go for shipping. The effort survives primarily on donations: The church makes no money on the sales.
Last year, Bowen appointed Tom Alyea, a church member and management consultant, to oversee the activity. With a new ordering system in place, requests are now filled in about a week. Smaller orders are packed by a group of disabled workers through a local workshop. By noon, the dozen volunteers have finished packing 25,000 bracelets as well as dozens of T-shirts and autographed copies of Bowen's book.
Mr. Alyea has taken the 21-day challenge and made it in 4-1/2 months. A husband and father of three teens, he notices a big difference in his life. "The best thing is when we have dinner now – it's relaxing," he says. "It's fun. I'm not sitting there complaining about grades or their rooms or how fast they drive."
It took Rick Silvey, a college math professor, nearly a year to go three weeks without complaining. But, he says, it was worth it. "It's not about being a Pollyanna," he says. "It's about your approach and how you express yourself in different situations. I've seen an increase in respect and peace of mind in my relationships."
With interest increasing, Bowen is planning new initiatives – a school curriculum, a corporate seminar, a "complaint-free cruise." For now, he has no plans for any more church giveaways, like the bracelets. Naturally, few members of his church are complaining. "Frankly," Bowen says with a laugh, "it's become so huge, people in the church are joking, 'If you have anymore good ideas, keep them to yourself.' "
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