The tiny habit that's quietly destroying your progress

Week 12: The Brilliance Experiment

Last year I made a small but seismic decision that changed my life: I stopped complaining about men and money.

It was hard. It made me question a lot of things, including some of my closest friendships (which all of a sudden seemed to be made of 85% venting and complaining to each other.)

But it was important.

My life didn’t change overnight, but as I write to you 9 months after that decision, I can tell you that it most certainly has changed things dramatically over time.

you have been warned!

When I stopped complaining about men, I could no longer deflect responsibility for the people I was choosing and allowing in my orbit. Words like “love bombing” and “bread crumbing” fell out of my personal lexicon because I didn’t have a use for them anymore.

I broke up with the guy who fumbled my birthday instead of ruminating to my friends about it.

I detached quickly from the man who promised me the world and then ghosted me 60 days later.

I allowed time to get to know the slow-burner instead of spiraling in the group chat about it not moving at the (unhealthy) pace I was used to. And I’m still so glad I did that.

When I stopped complaining about money, I had to face the scarcity soundtrack I’d been looping for years that I’d never have enough or be enough.

I finally confronted the mess I’d made of my finances through inaction and low self-esteem. I realized quickly that complaining about what I didn’t have didn’t fix anything and kept me stuck in that story I claimed to hate so much.

I stopped ruminating and started problem-solving. I started making better decisions and treating myself like someone who knew how to manage money and build wealth, not someone waiting to be rescued by a magical “someday.”

So this week, I zoomed in. What happens if I eradicate complaining from my life entirely just for a week?

Welcome to The Brilliance Experiment — 52 weeks of tiny experiments to feel more alive and connected.

If you're craving more joy, energy, or vitality, you’re in the right place.

I started this project because I was burned out, restless, and missing my sparkle, so each week, I try something small and I write about my experiences.

Here’s how it went…

Let’s be clear about something: I am not interested in toxic positivity. That’s not why I wanted to try this.

This experiment was about listening to myself, my words, and the subtle “ugh” that runs in the background of my life.