Do you think your attitude matters, or is it just a phrase coined by the industry of positive thinking?
I’ve just returned from a month in the UK and most of the trip was disappointing. Now I know I sound like a spoiled child and many people will say that I have a negative attitude and should be grateful that at least I got a trip overseas – they would be right! But our brains are wired to focus on the negative and many of us thrive on moaning. There are also many twists and turns in life that leave us feeling disappointed and it’s ok to acknowledge that.
Here’s my disappointed list:
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- both my husband and I got Covid and isolated for days
- we were unable to go to my niece’s wedding or a family party in France
- we couldn’t spend time with my sister-in-law who is immune compromised
- my luggage didn’t arrive at Gatwick airport, (thank goodness for another sister-in-law who gave me a lovely nightie, toothbrush etc.…)
- our flight home was brought forward by 9 hours so we missed a whole day of holiday
- we queued 2.5 hours to go through security at Heathrow
- we sat in the plane, on the tarmac in 32* heat for 3 hours before takeoff…
It’s important that once we acknowledge our disappointment that we don’t stay stuck there!
I believe that our attitude matters, so to shift my attitude and feel more positive I changed my thinking.
So here is my more positive list…
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- At least we did eventually take off.
- We did recover from Covid.
- The first week spent in Singapore was fab!
- Time with my sister in Glasgow was wonderful after 3 years apart.
So, why does attitude matter and what does attitude have to do with all this?
A positive attitude is the difference between being happy or sad, successful or unsuccessful, moving forward or staying stuck. It affects every outcome in both our personal and professional life.
Don’t believe me?
There were people in some of the airport queues crying because they were going to miss their flight. Others were angry at ground staff because their luggage was missing. Some tried to skip the line and upset people because of their thoughtlessness. People called them back and shamed them. A negative attitude or outlook on life brings out the worst in human nature.
Having a positive attitude and outlook can help you enjoy each moment of the day, have an uplifting impact on those around you and help you reach your goals, plus work for permanent change.
Having the right attitude helps you stay motivated and makes life and work more fun. When we enjoy what we do, success comes with ease.
So how do we maintain an upbeat attitude?
Start by becoming more aware of your mood as you go about your day. Make an effort to be grateful and focus on the good things in your life. Repetition retrains the brain and over time your positivity will increase, helping you stay on track and motivated.
Having a good attitude helps you overcome hurdles. It’s easy to get discouraged when things don’t go your way or fall through. We all face setbacks. We all make mistakes. How we deal with them is what sets successful people apart from the rest. Work on your positivity and find a lesson in everything that happens. You’ll come out on the other side stronger and better than before.
Having the right attitude helps us do better work. Think back to the last time you had fun working on a project. I bet it was much easier to get into the flow and time flew by. You enjoyed yourself, and that showed in your work. We work so much better when we’re in a good mood. In fact, when you find that groove and that perfect project, it doesn’t feel like work at all.
Physical exercise is a great way to lift a negative attitude. Use the body the change the mind.
Keeping a journal can help, it makes you focus your thoughts. You can look back and see which of the things you did that worked and helped you make progress. Another powerful tip is to create a file of encouragement. Fill it with positive images and motivational quotes. Include proof of your accomplishments and any recommendations and testimonials you receive. Browse through the journal or file any time you need an extra boost of positivity.
Ask others to go on the ‘attitude’ journey with you. My husband and I kept each other positive when one of us began to moan, small hopeful reminders can make a huge difference. Play the Glad Game – each person says out loud one thing they are glad about ie:
“I’m glad I’m overseas and don’t have to work today,”
“I’m glad we have enough money to go on holiday,”
“I’m glad we have each other,”
“I’m glad the sun is shining,” etc…
see if you can name 100 things – by which time your negative attitude will definitely have shifted and you will be laughing about how silly this game gets!
Let me know if you have ever experienced a radical attitude change and how that affected the outcome of what you were doing at the time.
Here are the other blogs that I created related to this topic.
