Douglas: Welcome to the Unleash Your Potential Blog, what question can I answer for you today?
GoalGuide: How can I develop a more positive attitude towards life?
Douglas: Thank you for asking! That is a central question for most of us. According to the Oxford Dictionary, attitude is a settled way of thinking or feeling about someone or something, typically one that is reflected in a person’s behavior. Let's pick apart some of the pieces of that definition.
“A settled way” – What does it mean to be settled? When we are settled about something it usually means there is a decision that has been made. When two parties settle on something, it means they have worked through the issue and come to an agreement.
“thinking or feeling about someone or something” – We have complete control over what we think and feel. Feelings are a direct result of our thinking about something. When I feel sad about a death, it is not the death itself that causes me to feel sad, but how I think about the person who died. And I can choose what I think in any given situation.
“reflected in a person’s behavior” – What we are thinking and feeling becomes part of how we act in future situations.
In reality, attitude is just a decisive pattern of thinking or feeling. Someone who chooses a negative attitude towards life is choosing to look at past and future events and think negatively about how those events relate to them. Life hands us all challenges, we choose how to think and feel about them
It is the same with having a positive attitude. It is a choice. You can experience past and future events and choose how you think about them. Having a positive attitude means that you choose to focus on the positive aspects. I am not suggesting that we develop a “Polly Anna” attitude and pretend that challenges don’t happen. Of course, they do. Our days are filled with junk that challenges us. What I am saying is that someone with a positive attitude will choose to focus on ways to overcome those challenges instead of ways to be overcome by those challenges.
In the end, developing a more positive attitude is all about what you choose to focus your thinking and feeling energy on. As I just said, you are not trying to eliminate negativity, because it is going to happen. However, when you encounter negative thoughts, acknowledge them, and then choose to focus on the positive. You can have a positive attitude and experience negative thoughts and feelings. The key is not to dwell on those negative thoughts and feelings. Let them have their voice and then move on.
I hope my answer sheds some light on your question. If you want to dig into this concept further, I encourage you to reach out and set up a conversation. In the meantime, check back tomorrow for the next question in the Unleash Your Potential Series!
Be Well!
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