Positive attitude?
How do I change my attitude?
Is it possible to change our attitude to one that is more positive in life? The good news, it is never too late to change your attitude.
Nothing is impossible when we have the right attitude. Of course, this doesn’t mean we won’t have challenges sadness, and trauma, merely a positive attitude is what gives you resilience in life. A positive attitude along with self-care tools for good physical and mental health is what gives you resilience in life. We may not have had the right role models as children and young adults as we grew up showing us tools and strategies for a positive attitude, but that doesn’t mean we have to repeat the same negative patterns. At any time in your life, even today, right now, you can begin the journey to change your negative attitude to one that is more positive. Of course, a positive attitude will look and feel different for everyone, your self-care tools and strategies will look and feel different because we are all unique.
I consider myself a very positive person, a realist, but also a very positive person. In every situation in life seek to find another way, perhaps a better way, perhaps a more positive way to react, respond and live my best life. For many of us, life is about ups and downs with family friends, workplaces every relationship, and life events that we have no control over. Losing control for some can be quite threatening and it’s difficult to find a positive way through those experiences. Trust me when I say that so much depends on your attitude. Believe me, when I tell you that you have complete control over your attitude. That is the one thing in our life, your life, my life that we have absolute control over, is our attitude!
Here is a recent example of how focusing on the positive, reframing an event in your head from those negative messages to one more positive, of encouragement, can change the experience immediately.
I was out cross-country skiing with my sweetie and it was windy and chilly I was looking forward to the exercise and spending time outside. The first few strides on the ski trails I realized my skis were sticking on the snow-filled trails. Within 50 yards my legs were aching because I was snow skiing instead of cross country skiing, where there was no gliding involved merely stepping and moving forward using my ski poles. This was frustrating and I realize I’m not having fun. As we continued along the trail I was grumbling to myself and it seemed that cross country skiing was becoming more intense, and less fun with every step.
Suddenly I realized how my negative thinking was affecting my physical ability to cross country ski. As quickly as those negative thoughts of frustration were bouncing around in my head, I switched to a more positive mindset. I began to repeat in my head, “this is fun, I’m having fun, this is fun, I’m having fun, this is fun, I’m having fun.” It was a revelation how quickly my whole body began to react to the more positive messages I was sending out. I began to ski with more grace and less frustration. Yes at the end of the trial I was exhausted, yet I was not as frustrated as when I started. You see the trails didn’t change, the skis didn’t change what changed was my attitude and how I consciously decided to send positive messages. This is a small example of how quickly we can allow those negative thoughts to filter through and affect our experiences in life, and also how quickly with a positive attitude, being mindful, having awareness, with positive messages the mental and physical response.
For me, I understand that things in life will get us frustrated. I’m no exception, I get frustrated angry, and irritated at people, working on the computer, and life events. The purpose of this blog is to share with you my own stories so that you can learn and not have to suffer as long in finding your way to change your attitude, to change that negative voice in your head to one that is positive encouragement, and caring.
From an article INC: Jeffery James 8 Ways to Improve Your Attitude, A Positive Attitude Makes Success Easy; A Negative One Makes Success Pointless.
In the article it mentions hanging out with the positive folks, don’t take yourself so seriously, being curious about others, using the lessons learned in times of stress and disappointment, setting realistic goals, and having a plan to achieve -set yourself up for success. We learn as we try new things, adjusting our attitude like any habit takes time and practice blended with self-compassion on the journey.
No matter where we go there will always be people who like to complain, blame others and remain stuck in misery. Yep, they are a ball of joy. NOT! Who likes hanging out with the negative folks, the happiness life suckers.
Negative Nellies that zap everyone’s energy. So the question becomes: Do you want to be the kind of person who drains energy or who supplies it? If you want to be an energy producer, you can start by developing a more positive attitude.
…Of course, turning off the negative stream of consciousness and developing a positive attitude takes effort. But when we do so, people are more likely to want to be around us, which can make us happier, which makes us even easier to be around, and even happier—an upward spiral of positive emotions that fuel health and well-being…
Focusing on positive things in life even the little things, can begin the brain to go to the positive first instead of the gloom and doom. It takes awareness and practice. Remember the one thing in life we have absolute control over and I repeat absolute control over, is our attitude. What’s your attitude? Is it a positive message or a negative message? Is it working or not?
You have a choice every day, in every situation how you will react, how are you respond to what you will retain. A positive attitude will help you in every situation in life.