Gratitude or Attitude

Positive mental attitude, optimism, being present, thankfulness, mindfulness, gratitude, gratefulness, and all those other things.  What does all that mumbo-jumbo mean?  And who the heck cares?  First off...I care.  Why?  Life is too short to waste on negativity.  I believe that...wholeheartedly.  But what does it mean? 

I think to understand it, we have to restate something we all learned in grade school...the opposite of positive is negative.  Many people are consumed by negativity.  Not just a bad mood, but a negative mind set.  A mood is something temporary and can change.  To me, mind set is the person's overall attitude towards life.  If someone is in a bad mood, you can draw attention to it and possibly change it.  Sometimes, a bad mood can carry over into their attitude.  Change their mood and you may change the attitude.  But, people with a negative mind set or disposition...they are invariably criticizing, complaining, or finding fault.

If positive is the opposite of negative, where do you fit in?  Do you have gratitude or an attitude?  I try hard to have gratitude and maintain a positive outlook on life.  Now...that's not to say I'm never in a bad mood or have a bad attitude.  Let's be real.  :)  But I try to focus on the positive instead of the negative.  There are several times throughout each day when I find things to be grateful for or appreciative of...that first cup of coffee, a hot shower, a beautiful sunrise, the sun shining, the tree top view at the top of the hill on my way into work, hearing a great song on the radio, or any number of things.  (Even the selfie my daughter posts on Facebook so I can see her beautiful smile since she doesn't live at home.)  The list of things to be thankful for grows as the day goes on.  

So what about those that struggle with having a positive outlook?  What can we do to help them change their behavior or way of thinking?  Can they change or is it something that has been engrained in them for so long that it isn't worth the effort?  I'd like to think it is more a habit than anything.  And that like any bad habit, it can be broken if the person wants to change.  At home, if my husband is being negative about something I ask him if he can change the situation.  If the answer is no, then move on.  Don't waste your time or energy focusing on it.  If the answer is yes, then do something about it!  Don't just sit there and complain about it.  When I put that question back on myself..."Can I help change another person's behavior?"...I'd like to believe the answer is yes.  So what do I do about it?  I write a blog post about it.  (Two so far actually!)

I honestly don't think negative people realize how their attitude affects those around them.  I don't think they realize they leave a trail of stress behind them.  There is a quote that says, "Attitudes are contagious.  Make yours worth catching."  I believe that...wholeheartedly.  It is a struggle to be around negativity and not not let it affect your mood.  I get that sometimes you need to talk about what is bothering you so you get it off your chest and move on.  That is how I am.  But to keep going on and on...day after day?  So then I put the question back on myself...what can I do to change it?  I can listen to their grumbles and complaints and try to put a positive spin on the situation.   Maybe the person needs a reminder of the positive in the situation.  There IS something positive in every situation.  You just have to find it. 

What would it be like to be a person that focuses on the negative?  That has to be a heavy weight to carry around all the time.  It must be exhausting.  I know I feel lighter when I rid myself of negativity.  Again, I put the question back on myself...what can I do to change it?  I can try to be a cheerful and happy person in hopes that my attitude will rub off.  Maybe my enthusiasm for life will help erase some of their negativity...bit by bit, piece by piece.  If attitudes are contagious, maybe they will catch the bug.  

How else can I spread the positivity bug?  At work we have free smiley faces on the bulletin board outside our office.  I can't believe how quickly we go through free smiley faces!  :)  We have two attitude jars set out.  If something is bothering you or holding you back, you write it on a piece of paper and leave it there so you can move on.  The other jar is for the positive things that we need to acknowledge and remember.  We have inspirational sayings on a white board.  Right now it says, "A negative mind will never give you a positive life."  We have essential oils, sprays and lotions.  We even give out real smiles and hugs!  We try to keep positivity and gratitude weaved into every aspect of our day. 

I challenge you to do the same!