From “I have this” to “Ain’t no way”, our attitude defines how we look at life. It dictates to us our next steps. From fight to flight, we choose to go with the flow, or stand up and be strong.
What am I talking about? Attitude. Plain and simple. It’s how we deal with life, but the product is something that’s not just inward, it’s outward.
So. What is attitude? I found this list some years back and it really speaks to me.
What is attitude?
Its roots are inward but its fruit is outward.
It is our best friend at some times; at other times it is our worst enemy.
It is more honest and consistent than the words that come out of our mouths.
It is an outward look based on past experiences.
It is the thing that draws people to us or repels them from us.
And it is never content until it is expressed.
It is the librarian of our past, the speaker of our present, and the prophet of our future.
One of the hardest things to deal with is someone’s attitude. Never mine, but always yours. Why? I’m in control of my attitude and am my own worst critic.
Yours, on the other hand, has something creating it that I cannot comprehend. Since I don’t know what kind of day you’ve had, I’m willing to give you some space to find where the fault lies, and how you plan on addressing the challenge.
What Factors Control Attitude?
There are many things that come into play. It may be getting a late start, hearing bad news, lack of food, too much caffeine. Name it. There are too many items on this list!
It’s unique to you and different for me.
I’ve learned that when I don’t have time to address something, then I get a poor attitude. When I’m pushed, I may get angry and react in a way that is not “me” – as in, return the retort, or retreat into my mind and ignore everyone and everything.
Do you remember that old commercial slogan, “I’d rather fight than switch!”? It’s from a cigarette brand (Tareyton) back in the dark ages. You only find them in specialty stores, I think because people switched en masse! This tells me that simply saying something doesn’t make it so. What does it say above?
Attitude … It is more honest and consistent
than the words that come out of our mouth.
Attitude is in control of how we respond to life. I’ve tossed this around and can only assume that life is full of attitude barriers. Negatives. Positives. Even, “I don’t care!” We find it in politics, business, family, sports, and, wait, it’s in everything!
How Do I Control My Attitude?
First and foremost, I am in control of my attitude. True, life throws challenges at me all the time, but I do get to say how I allow it to handle me. If I feel bottled up, then I know I need to release some pressure. When I feel drained and empty, I need to resource my life with valuable products. If I’m struggling with direction, then I need to anchor myself to my purpose.
When I’m overwhelmed, David said,
“Lead me to that rock that is higher than I!”
(Psalms 61:2)
Did you catch this? Sometimes I need help! Even Godly help! Maybe even more times than not! I need to recognize what’s going on and take positive steps to get in control Maybe I’ve been speaking negatively, and need to learn how to drop those phrases and words. Perhaps, I’m hanging around people who literally tick me off! Leave them! Maybe I need more rest or a better diet. Regardless. You have the power to create a new attitude!
Equally, when I see others struggling then I need to make myself available to help them! Sometimes I’m their answer, and other times I simply know where to point them. Why? Because I’ve been there. Done that. Recovered from.
Working on myself is something I do all the time. I love to change my attitude from the negative to the positive. Don’t You? If so, rejoice that you are looking at life differently. Sometimes, no, most of the time it’s simply seeing the situation from a positive position.
Joshua and Caleb were two of the twelve spies sent into the Promised Land.
Ten spies brought back a negative report.
But these two, who saw the same reality, chose a different path.
“We can do it!” (Numbers 13, 14)
It’s not looking at life with “fake lens“, but rather knowing the strength of right that is on your side, and now is the time to do it. It’s the difference of attitude!
A positive attitude causes a chain reaction of positive thoughts, events, and outcomes. It is a catalyst and it sparks extraordinary results.
~Wade Boggs
Think It Through
I’ve learned to leave those with negative attitudes out of the equation of my life, and my choices. Why? Negativity breed negativity. When someone asks me a question and the first response I have is negative, then I know my attitude is wrong. It’s not that my answer is wrong, but I always look for the silver lining, gold mine, solution, the diamond in the rough…
In other words, I’ve trained myself to think positive! So can you. Look for those negative thoughts and banish them. Work on identifying positive solutions. If anything, I believe living positively is about being resilient in the face of daunting challenges. We all have them, and they create struggles that sometimes overwhelm us to the nTH degree!
I work hard to train myself to think positive. It's doable. There are positive results from thinking from a positive position. Positive attracts positive, but it also repels the negatives – in me and others around me. Share on XCreate your pressure valve release, and use it to your advantage. Focus on being in control of how your attitude defines you. Be all you can be, but don’t let the negative attitudes make you different than the best person you can be.
From a friend I’ve never met, Pastor Ed Snyder, this is a positive laden message to help you change your attitude.
