Do You Need An Attitude Tune up?
Glenn McIntosh
Senior Vice President for Student Affairs and Chief Diversity Officer at Oakland University
Today is Palm Sunday! This is the day that marks the start of "Holy Week", a time of self-sacrificing that leads to self-renewal. In my last article, I wrote about how the current pandemic could allow us to make right some of the things we know are wrong with our lives and work toward having a better future. The secret to making that happen comes down to one thing, and that is one thing you have total control over: your attitude!
Your attitude is a mixture of your beliefs, values, and assumptions. It is your reality. It is the lens through which you see the world and it drives 90% percent of your behavior without you even realizing it. It will determine how happy, sad, satisfied, and successful you are in this world.
If you see problems, you will have problems. If you see opportunities, that is what you will experience. Like the old saying goes, if you look for trouble, trouble is what you will find.
Soldiers view themselves as invincible as a result of the grueling training they experience. Business leaders believe a profit is to be found in every opportunity. Highly successful people never quit believing that they will succeed. In every example, it is their attitude, or what they believe, that makes it possible for them to achieve great things. Even medical research has shown that a person's attitude has a great deal to do with how quickly and how completely a person will heal.
Yes, it is completely up to you how well you deal with today's adversities. I believe that we are going to make it through this and learn a few lessons along the way that will help us in the future. So, if you're going to come out in the best possible shape in the end, you must adopt a positive attitude! Learn how to laugh through the pain, and remember that your choices will create your reality!
My challenge for you this week:
Develop a positive attitude and always believe that brighter days are coming.
- Do you view your life as filled with opportunities or filled with obstacles?
- What lessons have you learned about yourself from the coronavirus?
- How can you develop a positive attitude toward the things, or people, you view as limiting your ability to advance your life? Write down your solutions.
- Will you commit to applying your solutions for the next 30 days?
Your renewal and resurrection are always predicated on your positive attitude, even in the face of adversity.