Dear reader of mine,

I am going to share with you my new favorite word. To my way of thinking, I cannot think of any word more important because it involves everything we do in our lives. The word is attitude; our personal barometer that registers our highs and lows. The old cliche, “Attitude gives you the latitude to lead a charmed life,” is so true.

I was up early, as usual, on this cold wintery day. The wind is howling outside my condo-in-the-sky. Her howling sound informs me, she is one resilient dame. I smile and say out loud, “she’s got attitude!”

At once I have a flash of understanding in this one word of what makes me tick! For the first time since I began storytelling, I was able to come up with one word that describes my total persona. Attitude.

My attitude is my guiding light. It affects the way I reason, the way I see life, the way I dress and talk, and love and walk. My attitude controls my purpose and my vision of life. Your attitude controls yours.

Think about your attitude. Do you normally feel high or low? Do you see your glass half full or half empty? If your attitude usually puts you on a low, don’t despair. Perhaps you have regrets and are often disenchanted with life or are depressed. The first thing I suggest you do is acknowledge that a positive attitude provides you with a window of possibilities. Hopefully, you can uplift yourself.

My advice is to face your druthers head on. Think to yourself, “My life is not a bad life. It is a bad moment in my life.” That’s the attitude, darling!!

 

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HERE ARE A FEW TIPS

• Put the problem in perspective. I see the color gray, not black. 95% of problems are gray.
• Feel your disappointment. It is raw. It is real.
• Don’t tuck any regrets in a corner and dwell on what it might have been. Solve it.
• Be kind to yourself, always.
• Look for the silver lining. There is always one. There is always hope and joy. Trust me, I know.
• Don’t forget to give yourself credit. Forgive yourself and learn from your mistakes. Remember we have a fresh canvas every 24 hours! That’s the attitude to have dear reader!

LIVE THROUGH EVERY SITUATION WITH OPTIMISM

I often pinch myself that I have the type of attitude to live through every situation with optimism and hope. My worst scenarios were dealing with cancer, widowhood, and suicide. And one of my adult children deciding she no longer wanted her mother. I have been tested. How do I continue to see my glass half full? I want to. Am I a cockeyed optimist? You betcha!

For those of you who feel as I do, have you wondered why you are so fortunate? Is it in our genes? Perhaps our inner strength, our resilience, our coping powers? Is a positive attitude learned by observing the behavior in others we admire? Whether it be a parent, grandparent, or a friend and we want to mirror their behavior? I am not sure. Are we like this because we observed those who see their glass half empty and were turned off? Maybe?

I see the good in everything. Even when mine isn’t, I envision a glass half full. I become determined to fill it up! I won’t let my glass become empty. My attitude is filled with hope. I believe things will get better. Don’t you? My attitude is laced with a fierce tenacity. I know where there is a will there’s a way! That’s the attitude!

I believe a positive attitude is made up of a pinch of hope, a pinch of resilience, and a pinch of cockeyed optimism. A pinch of our genes, a pinch of observing the positive attitudes of others, and a pinch of coping. Lastly, a pinch of where there’s a will there’s a way and our life experiences.

A SWEET MEMORY

Next, dear reader, I will share with you a special recollection. Once, when my grandson was four years old we were sitting at the kitchen table having a cookie and milk. I filled a glass of water half way. I put it between us and said, “Robbie, do you see the glass half full or half empty?”

“He replied, “Half full, Honey.” I hugged him with joy. My joy for him was great.

I recall running into the other room and bringing back construction paper and magic markers. On the paper, I drew four glasses and he colored each of them half way up. One was yellow, one red, one blue, and one was green. I wrote at the top of the paper: ALWAYS SEE THE GLASS HALF FULL.

Later on in his life I had an artist recreate the picture we did together. I had it framed and the last time I was with him it was hanging.

Dear reader of mine, our attitude is our style. We own it. It dwells inside us. It is who we are. Improve it, accept it, love it, be grateful you have it because it is yours for the keeping. I am smiling!!! Amen.

What are your tips for painting a positive attitude? Do you find it difficult, or does it come naturally?