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Two months ago, Emma Wescott probably would have shouted some impolite things at a driver who cut her off on the highway. But after adding a purple, rubber bracelet to her daily attire, her attitude has changed.

When that driver entered her life a few weeks ago, she took a breath and said simply, "Oh, look at that person: He just pulled right in front of me and he forgot to use his blinker."

Fifty parishioners of St. Joseph's Church in Greenwich have joined Mrs. Wescott, assistant administrator of faith formation, for an experiment: She wants to last for 21 days without complaining, gossiping or criticizing.

If she slips, she moves the bracelet to the other arm and restarts the count. She slipped once because of a frustration at McDonald's restaurant, where she is a manager. But now, when her crew complains, she says she hears it and walks away.

Going positive
"It works for me," Mrs. Wescott said of the bracelet, a creation of A Complaint Free World, a national initiative by a pastor in Missouri. He aims to inspire 60 million people to ditch negative thoughts and become more positive, hopeful and optimistic. He found the average person complains 15 to 30 times a day.

Mrs. Wescott's family is in on the experiment, too: John Wescott, her husband, boasted to The Evangelist last week about being complaint-free for six days.

He runs a Friendly's restaurant in Saratoga Springs, where his purple bracelet has piqued the interest of coworkers. Some call him out if he slips; some want to try it themselves.

"It's really changed the way I look at things and feel about things," Mr. Wescott said. "I'm less tired at the end of the day because I'm less stressed. It's pretty amazing just from a simple bracelet."

Faithful effort
Mr. Wescott said it makes sense for Catholics to kick the habit.

"I think it goes hand-in-hand with my faith," he said. "I'm sure that's how Jesus was. Negative words didn't come out of His mouth."

The Wescotts' son, Chris, had to switch the bracelet a few times because he'd slipped.

"It's not too easy," said the seventh-grader at Greenwich Central High School. "I'm a big complainer about a lot of things. I really don't like to do a lot of work."

Chris is fine with homework, but cringes at the thought of making his bed, doing dishes, vacuuming or dusting. But the bracelet motivates him to finish his chores.

"I saw I had it on my [wrist]," he said, "so I just said I might as well get up and do" the pesky chores.

Some of his school friends have caught on. Chris agrees with his father about feeling less stress: "Everything just goes smoother."

Though it seems to be successful, the bracelet isn't for everyone. Wendy Jordan's four children tried it for a week before quitting; she refused to try it at all.

Need to vent
"I told them from day one that I wouldn't do it," said Mrs. Jordan, a parishioner at St. Joseph's and a homemaker. "I would explode."

Between housework, scheduling and chauffeuring the kids, she lets off steam often.

However, the idea has made the whole family more aware of the habit. Her politician husband, state Assemblyman Tony Jordan of the 112th district, stuck with the bracelet.

Beyond St. Joseph's, the project was recently adopted by the women's group at St. Michael the Archangel parish in South Glens Falls. Sally Scuderi, group leader and director of music ministry and bereavement, liked the idea.

"I try very hard to only see positive things," Mrs. Scuderi said. "I think it's important that we pass on positivity. It's a way that the Holy Spirit moves through me."

(04/01/10) [[In-content Ad]]

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