There are those who say attitude is everything. I don’t think attitude is everything, but our attitude has tremendous impact on how we see the world, our relationships and ourselves.
A positive attitude puts things into perspective. Pay attention to what you tell yourself. Every good thought contributes to your well-being.
Viktor Frankl, an Austrian psychiatrist and Holocaust survivor, said, “Everything can be taken from a man but one thing: the last of the human freedoms – to choose one’s attitude in any given set of circumstances.”
Being optimistic involves a choice about how you see the world. It doesn’t mean denying the negative or avoiding all unfavorable information. We cannot control many situations that happen in our lives, but we can control our attitude about what happens.
So how do we build a more positive mental attitude? With the following:
- Have reasonable expectations.
- Be kinder to yourself as well as more honest and authentic.
- Listen to our hearts and act in our own best interest.
- Live in the present moment with all its lovely possibilities.
- Take the long view. Over time you will have more perspective than you have now. Trust that process.
- Expand your capacity to carry both pain and joy.
- Look for humor, love, and beauty every day.
- Use Gratitude as a survival skill. Appreciate the smallest of offerings.
- Do something for someone else.
- Take a close look at what you are saying to yourself and override your negative programming with a conscious, positive internal voice.
- Lighten up your life with humor.
A distinguishing characteristic of consistently successful people is their ability to maintain a positive and proactive attitude. If you want to feel better you have to think better. Train your mind and use it wisely.
Reflection:
I am responsible for choosing my responses to life even when faced with struggles and setbacks.
Today’s Practice:
Abraham Lincoln said: “Most folks are as happy as they make up their minds to be.” How does that apply to your life?
Training your mind, and taking responsibility for your responses, lead to the rest. The only thing you can control is yourself.