Written by Pastor Jack Wellman“We choose what attitudes we have right now. And it’s a continuing choice.”
– John Maxwell
3 Attitudes We Can Choose Right Now
Your attitude defines you. They really do. Think of your attitude as the drapes in your home. The color of your drapes impacts the color of the light coming through. As you probably already know, sunlight has no color. But depending on the drapes you have, the colors actually making it through your home’s rooms might be yellow, green, red, blue, or even purple. Similarly, your attitudes are like the drapes that of your mind.
The things you perceive are, at their core, emotionally neutral. It is your attitude that gives color and meaning to the things you perceive. For example, if you parked your car at your office’s parking lot and someone slams into your car-wrecking its bumper and front fenders-and takes off, you might not have been able to stop the hit-and-run from taking place but you can definitely control your response. You can react by screaming, hollering, and feeling anger burn through the pit of your soul. This reaction is perfectly understandable but not particularly helpful, right? Or, you can choose to respond in a calm manner and refuse to cry over spilled milk. Instead, you calmly take out your mobile phone and give your insurance company a call. Which response produces better outcomes? The difference between these responses all boil down to attitude.
Here are five attitudes that you can choose right now that can lead to better feelings, more fulfillment, and yes, happiness. As John Maxwell notes, we can always choose our attitudes. We might not be able to choose what life gives us but by choosing our attitudes, we’ll be in a better position to always come out ahead and happy no matter what.
Attitude #1: Gratitude
When you are always grateful, it is hard to feel cheated by life. It is hard to feel that you’re left behind and got cheated out of the things life owes you. Instead, an attitude of gratitude allows you to be happy with whatever you get out of life. It puts things in the right perspective.
Attitude #2: There is always tomorrow
Instead of spinning your wheels about ‘lost opportunities’ or other things that won’t be coming back, you focus instead on tomorrow. This attitude recognizes that life is a cycle and crying over spilled milk doesn’t really help. Instead, this attitude allows you to get yourself ready for new opportunities headed your way.
Attitude #3: Perspective
When you always look at the big scheme of things, you don’t let the small stuff bother you. Life is full of small setbacks. You can choose to focus on the Big Truths and Big Reassurances-like God’s love for you and Salvation-or you can let that small stuff defeat you. Having an attitude that prizes perspective, you remember you always have a choice.
Keep the attitudes above in mind. They might mean the difference between a fulfilling life and a frustrating one.
