A very interesting article today in the Grand Rapids Press: "Stop your whining, church says". It seems that a local Unity Church has embraced the concept of a "Complaint-Free World" campaign that was started by the Rev. Will Bowen of the Kansas City Christ Church Unity.
In the nearly 2-years since the beginning of the program, the Kansas City church has received almost 6,000,000 requests for 
the purple bracelets that they provide for free. Donations are welcome, but not required.
The upshot of the program is that people take the pledge to stop complaining. Period. When they get their bracelet, the put it on their wrist, and they start counting 'complaint free days'. If they catch themselves whining about gas prices (or the Real Estate Market), the move the bracelet to the other wrist and start the count back at zero. You might even be able to do this without the official bracelet, if you're really dedicated.
Experts say that if you repeat a new behavior for 21-days, it becomes a habit. What a good habit it would be for all of us (myself included) to eliminate our old counter productive habit of complaining and establishing a new no complaining habit.
If we stopped complaining about the state of the real estate market would it magically improve the market? Unlikely. However if everyone would stop complaining about how bad it is the perception could shift. People may even want to be so daring as to look for the bright side of the current market and talk more about that. Let's see, what are some good things? Is there a group of people for whom a market that has a much larger selection of available homes listed, at prices that are softer than we've seen in a long time, and mortgages available at very favorable interest rates? Man, that's a hard one. OH WAIT... I'm sensing a group... it's a little fuzzy.. oh, clearer now.. IT'S BUYERS!!!
1st time buyers what do you think about the market?
"It's GREAT".
Move up buyers; What do you think about the market?
Well I'm selling $150,000 and that's 10% less than I would have gotten 18 months ago, but I'm buying $300,000 and their value is down 10% too... hmmmm 10% of $300,000 is 2x 10% of $150,000 SWEET".
I know from personal experience that not complaining is a challenge. There's always someth
ing that it would be easy to 'comment on'. Service at a restaurant, the driver in front (or behind) me, the weather, gas prices, the market, another Realtor, or lender. But complaining doesn't make the other driver better, or the gas prices go down so it really is an exercise in wasted energy.
One of the things I've been working on for a long time is recognizing the things that I control and the things that I don't control, and then being primarily concerned with the things that are within my control. The behavior of some other person.. beyond my control. My reaction to that person or behavior.. within my control.
Back to the bracelets they can be ordered online. Rumor has it the order fulfillment department is backed up a bit as it's an all volunteer effort. Think of it as one of your first steps in overcoming the tendency to complain. Take a deep breath, and repeat after me. "I've placed my order, it's being filled and when it get's here, it will be here". Ahhhh that's better.
Think about the power of 1,300,000 Realtors who all at once stopped complaining about the market. Man that's a lot of complaining that's gone. You and I cannot make 1,300,000 take the pledge. But if I take the pledge, and you take the pledge, that's two. And it's a great starting place.
There's no magic in the bracelet. The magic is IN YOU.
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