Alter your attitude and you can alter your life

Alter your attitude and you can alter your life...what does that mean to you, to me? Read on...

For the longest time, this has been my mantra, whether in my personal or professional life. It's allowed me to conquer those times I wanted to crawl into a corner and cry, and persevere when I thought I couldn't. Now it may sound as though my life has been dismal, but I assure you, it hasn't, but like anyone I've had my share of disasters, tragedies, and stumbling blocks. If you know me, you probably have an idea of what I'm talking about, but if you don't well, it's a long and convoluted story for another time.

Thanks to my parents, who unfortunately are no longer with us, I've always had the ability to visualize what I wanted an outcome to be in my life, and my parents encouraged me to focus on it until it became reality. Sound familiar? Over the years it's been called many things... most recently "The Secret". Had I only put my "normal" everyday MO into a book, I'd surely be sitting on a pile of money with minions doing my bidding. However, I had no concept of what I was doing, I just did it. Whether it was getting into to boarding school, college or graduate school, getting a job I wanted, getting the home I wanted --- you get the idea, I'd draw it out on a piece of paper, and read it out loud every morning when I woke up, and every night before I went to bed. It really works, try it, commit to it, and you will see.

Having a positive attitude is something I learned by example, and that is something I clearly got from my mother. I'm always struck by people who have come in and out of my life over the years and how many people look at the negative and focus on it until it becomes part of their everyday lives. From the beginning to the end of my mother's battle with lung cancer she was incredibly positive, when many give up. Certainly she had her days, but she'd give herself a momentary "pity party" and gird herself for the next battle, whether that was surgeries, treatments, doctor visits, etc. Her positivity (not even sure if this is a real word) helped me stay positive in one of the most difficult times of my life. This positivity allowed me to focus at work, when I was at work, and on her and helping my brother and sister-in-law take care of her. Now were there days I'd go home and cry in the shower or cry myself to sleep, you bet, but I focused on the positive instead on the negative, and enjoyed the time I spent with her.

My point to this entry (if you hadn't already figured it out) is to impress upon you the importance of a positive attitude, both in life and in yourself, because it goes a long way. So whether it's a difficult person or a situation, focus on the positive, and you will see a change. It will help you be a better friend, spouse, colleague, and most importantly, person. Again, try it, and commit to it.