Monday, July 25, 2005
It's All in the Attitude
That's what I think anyway. The single most important aspect of success that is under a person's control is attitude. Attitude has so much to do with just about everything we do yet most people don't think about their attitude much, if at all. We tend to accept our attitude as something that has been given to us by the circumstances we find ourselves in or by the emotional baggage we all carry around with us. We don't think of attitude as being something which we can actually control.
On many mornings as I walk the 5 or 6 blocks from my car to my work place, I think about how I feel and how I expect my day to go. Many mornings I feel physically and emotionally tired and when I find myself thinking that it is going to be a long day, I stop myself and take a look at my attitude. I have found that I can change it almost at will. I can simply say to myself, I feel good physically, put a bounce in my step, straighten out my shoulders, walk briskly, smile widely and I can actually feel myself perking up, losing the tension in my shoulders and feeling a smile on the inside.
Affecting my attitude in a positive way makes my day go by much easier and pleasanter. After all, it doesn't help me at all to dwell upon how tired I feel or how much I would like to be back home in bed when I have other things I need to be doing. It is far easier to control my attitude than it is to control anything else around me. All it takes is practice, practice, practice.
I don't know exactly when I realized I could affect my attitude in a positive way but it is a profoundly eye-opening experience. No longer do I need to spend a depressing day grousing about how bad I feel or how I wish something else was going on or whatever. Everybody needs a down day from time to time and feeling badly isn't necessarily the end of the world. Sometimes it can be healthy to think depressing thoughts or to bemoan your troubles or to think things are going badly for you as long as it doesn't become a habit. Not all things are roses, besides, thorns accompany roses. Pat yourself on the back for feeling bad then change your attitude and start feeling good again.
There are cycles in life and feeling good and feeling bad is one of those inevitable cycles. Accept the bad feelings for a time but never let it dominate your being. Focus your thoughts upon good things, simple things, enjoyable things. Make your mouth smile and feel your face as it brightens up. You can influence your physical well-being just by changing your attitude to positive from negative.
As I grow older I notice more and more aches and pains. My body is slowly breaking down and it hurts to do so. I notice these pains and it bothers me that I notice them more and more as the years go by. It would bother me more, however, if I let these aches and pains affect my daily life. Sure, there are things I used to do when I was younger that I can no longer do. There are things that cause me hurt that never used to do so. I could focus on these negative feelings and compain about them. Or I could ignore them and focus on feeling good instead. It doesn't help me to feel bad therefore I choose to feel good and forget about the aches and pains.
When I was going to Alcoholics Anonymous, they had a saying that I really like. "Suit up and show up." It means, no matter how you are feeling, get dressed and go to work or to wherever you are supposed to be going at the time. Don't make excuses! Nike says it a little more simply, "Just do it." It's the same thing. You have things to do in life, so get up and go do them. No excuses. How to deal with bad emotions? Change your attitude. Force that smile on your face. Think happy thoughts and get on with your life. Suit up, show up and just do it!
Complaining will get you nowhere. No one likes to listen to a complainer. Everyone has complaints from time to time and it is OK to voice these complaints sometimes. It is not OK to dwell on your compaints and to let it influence your attitude. Like water off a duck, you need to learn to let bad things roll off your back and not get you down. Life rolls on and we have many challenges to face before we pass on. Face them with a good attitude and you will be more successful and happier in the process.
Just my nickel for the day,
OH
On many mornings as I walk the 5 or 6 blocks from my car to my work place, I think about how I feel and how I expect my day to go. Many mornings I feel physically and emotionally tired and when I find myself thinking that it is going to be a long day, I stop myself and take a look at my attitude. I have found that I can change it almost at will. I can simply say to myself, I feel good physically, put a bounce in my step, straighten out my shoulders, walk briskly, smile widely and I can actually feel myself perking up, losing the tension in my shoulders and feeling a smile on the inside.
Affecting my attitude in a positive way makes my day go by much easier and pleasanter. After all, it doesn't help me at all to dwell upon how tired I feel or how much I would like to be back home in bed when I have other things I need to be doing. It is far easier to control my attitude than it is to control anything else around me. All it takes is practice, practice, practice.
I don't know exactly when I realized I could affect my attitude in a positive way but it is a profoundly eye-opening experience. No longer do I need to spend a depressing day grousing about how bad I feel or how I wish something else was going on or whatever. Everybody needs a down day from time to time and feeling badly isn't necessarily the end of the world. Sometimes it can be healthy to think depressing thoughts or to bemoan your troubles or to think things are going badly for you as long as it doesn't become a habit. Not all things are roses, besides, thorns accompany roses. Pat yourself on the back for feeling bad then change your attitude and start feeling good again.
There are cycles in life and feeling good and feeling bad is one of those inevitable cycles. Accept the bad feelings for a time but never let it dominate your being. Focus your thoughts upon good things, simple things, enjoyable things. Make your mouth smile and feel your face as it brightens up. You can influence your physical well-being just by changing your attitude to positive from negative.
As I grow older I notice more and more aches and pains. My body is slowly breaking down and it hurts to do so. I notice these pains and it bothers me that I notice them more and more as the years go by. It would bother me more, however, if I let these aches and pains affect my daily life. Sure, there are things I used to do when I was younger that I can no longer do. There are things that cause me hurt that never used to do so. I could focus on these negative feelings and compain about them. Or I could ignore them and focus on feeling good instead. It doesn't help me to feel bad therefore I choose to feel good and forget about the aches and pains.
When I was going to Alcoholics Anonymous, they had a saying that I really like. "Suit up and show up." It means, no matter how you are feeling, get dressed and go to work or to wherever you are supposed to be going at the time. Don't make excuses! Nike says it a little more simply, "Just do it." It's the same thing. You have things to do in life, so get up and go do them. No excuses. How to deal with bad emotions? Change your attitude. Force that smile on your face. Think happy thoughts and get on with your life. Suit up, show up and just do it!
Complaining will get you nowhere. No one likes to listen to a complainer. Everyone has complaints from time to time and it is OK to voice these complaints sometimes. It is not OK to dwell on your compaints and to let it influence your attitude. Like water off a duck, you need to learn to let bad things roll off your back and not get you down. Life rolls on and we have many challenges to face before we pass on. Face them with a good attitude and you will be more successful and happier in the process.
Just my nickel for the day,
OH
# posted by OH @ 7:39 AM 
