Alter your Attitude

Posted October 21st, 2008 by Destroyer

In many ways, we're alike; however, one little difference almost always makes
a big difference. The little difference is attitude.

William James, over a century ago, said, "The greatest discovery of this
generation is that a human being can alter their life by altering their
attitude."

I believe this with all my heart, and over the years have seen it happen
countless times. What most people fail to realize is that your attitude not only
impacts your happiness and your success, it also can impact the happiness and
success of all the people around you...your family, your friends, and your peers
at work. Attitudes truly are contagious, and from time to time we need to ask
ourselves...

"Is mine worth catching?"

There is no way to overstate the importance of a positive attitude in your
life. However, no one can underestimate the difficulty in maintaining it. It's
not easy, and it's a very personal thing, but it can be done.

Our emotions are powerful motivators, and more than almost anything else in
our lives they will drive our behavior. Sometimes our greatest challenge is to
get inside our own heads to understand what makes us tick. Why do we feel and
behave the way we do?

Highly motivated, positive people are focused. The mind is clear, and energy
levels are high. Also, many things can hold you back and prevent you from
becoming all you can be. One of those things is...Emotional Baggage.

I know two family members who were best friends, but several years ago, one
reminded the other of something that had happened thirty years earlier. One
thing led to another and, you know what, they haven't spoken since.

Anger or resentment is like a cancer, and when you let it go untreated, it
will put an invisible ceiling on your future. You don't know it...but it
does.

William Ward identified the cure when he said, "Forgiveness is the key that
unlocks the handcuffs of hate."

Those are powerful words, and I know from personal experience...forgiveness
works. A few times in my life I've been greatly wronged and taken advantage of.
My first reaction, of course, was anger and resentment. I held it for awhile and
felt my stomach tie up in knots, my appetite wane, and the joy slip out of my
life. The quote from Ward provided the wake-up call I needed to forgive the
person who had wronged me. It was like I had been playing the first half of a
basketball game with three-pound steel shoes, and in the locker room the coach
said, "Mac, try these new Nikes in the second half." Multiply that by ten and
you'll understand how great it feels to unload your "emotional baggage" through
the power of forgiveness.