Mental Attitude and Positive Thinking
Mental Health Made Simple – Attitude, it’s more than just positive thinking – Post 9
What colour glasses are you wearing today? ?
Today is about the importance of attitude. Your attitude is your approach to life… the way you CHOOSE to see and process what is happening in your world
Everyone wears glasses every day – and here we’re not talking about the type you buy from Specsavers, we’re talking about your ‘attitude glasses’… the glasses that you put on this morning that will determine what sort of day you’ll have today.
Jeff Keller said, ‘Everything can be taken from a man but one thing: the last of the human freedoms—to choose one’s attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one’s own way’.
We all know an eternal optimist: a Del Boy who bounds into the room with the smile on their face and makes everything feel good – ’this next year Rodney we’ll be millionaires’. Equally, we all know an eternal pessimist, a Victor Meldrew who complains at every opportunity and for whom nothing is good enough. (If you can’t access UK TV, Google ‘Del Boy’ and ‘Victor Meldrew – you’ll see what we mean!)
Two different attitudes that have nothing to do with what’s going on and everything to do with how the person is CHOOSING to think, how they are CHOOSING to view the world, how they are CHOOSING to feel today.
Attitude extends beyond optimism and pessimism. It’s also about self-belief. If you have sessions with a Thrive Programme Coach ®, they’ll listen closely to the words you say, because language is a clear window into your thinking. Because power and control, choice and responsibility are key to your thriving, they will challenge you if they hear you say phrases like these:
I’ll try…
I hope to…
I might…
One day…
Eventually…
Those are wishy-washy and prevent you from thriving. Your friends and family may be accustomed to you using phrases like this. Why not? There’s nothing wrong with them in themselves, but we want more for you: you should want more for yourself.
Your INACTION has as much an impact on your future as your ACTION.
You’re just one thought away from changing your attitude. There’s NOTHING standing in your way.
Your attitude affects the way you see life, the way you think about life and the way you show up in life. It’s like putting on a pair of glasses. Some people wear ‘s**t-tinted glasses’ and see the worst in everything and everyone.
✴️ They don’t see the opportunities – but they do see the hazards.
✴️ They don’t see the sunshine – but they do see the shadows.
✴️ They are blind to the cheerleaders while they search for the naysayers.
✴️ They see threats, danger, and problems all around them.
Maybe this is you: have you been wearing s**t-tinted specs? Are you reading this thinking, ‘that sounds hard’ or ‘I could never think any differently?’
If so, take off your s**t-tinted specs and put on your Thrive glasses! Make the decision to start thinking differently and cultivating a new attitude for yourself. Look for the opportunities, the positives, the best things in any situation.
As you consciously change your attitude, your thinking will change. Alarm bells will go off and red flags will appear when you breathe a sigh of despair or desperation and this will remind you to take your s**t-tinted glasses OFF and think differently. If you hear those innocent-sounding words ‘I’ll try’ ‘I hope’ or ‘I might’ come from your mouth, you’ll chuckle to yourself as you realise it’s time to change your attitude AND your words and say something that reflects your true power and potential. ‘I can….’ ‘I will… ‘I can’t wait…’
Like everything in The Thrive Programme, mental health is simple – you just have to do the right things; think the right thoughts and remember that the power lies with you..
Why don’t you start right now by writing a list of ten positive things in – or about – your life?
Yes, we’re all in lockdown, yes we can’t see our friends, yes there is a toilet-roll shortage, and yes some of us will get ill and, sadly, some may even die.
BUT…. But what? Here is where you write your list…
This is a lady called Clare’s, from yesterday:
1. The sun is out
2. I have a loving partner
3. I have three beautiful, healthy kids
4. I have a roof over my head
5. There is food in the fridge (and wine!)
6. We have an amazing National Health Service
7. The top experts in the world are working on a cure for this bloody virus
8. Music
9. My dog makes me smile
10. I woke up today!
By consciously taking the time to sit down and think of these ten ‘positives’, Clare created her attitude towards the day. This positive, life-affirming, ‘thrivey’ attitude ensured she had a great day yesterday.
Write YOUR list, choose YOUR attitude: What sort of day do YOU want?
See you on Wednesday ?
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This is part of a series building up your mental health every week – so we do advise going back and reading our Thriving at Home series from the beginning.
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