We have all heard the saying: "Attitude is everything." I haven't always bought into this philosophy, but in the past few years have really gained an understanding of it.

I have found that what I think becomes truth.. If I think I will fail, I will. If I think I can't do something, I can't. If I think I will hate something, I do. These negative thoughts have in the past plagued my mind. Negativity captivated me. The interesting thing was that when I was negative like this, I didn't even notice it, but it was my reality.

I learned as I was transforming my body that lots of it was mental. I started a mantra as I lost weight that was: "I can do hard things." I turned my negative thoughts into positive ones and instead of the "I can'ts," I was chanting "I can." Guess what happened? I could do hard things and I was very sucessful at losing weight.

I think our attitudes can shape our lives. We can be happy and guess what? Happiness is a CHOICE. You can choose to be miserable and not live life to the fullest, or you can choose to be happy and live the life you want and dream of living.

This week at work I have again been reminded of this concept. Seriously, some of my co-workers have chosen to think that the changes we are making to improve our school program are hard, chotic and frustrating. This change seems wrong and too hard. I have decided to go straight forward into the challenge with the attitude that everything is right and it will be awesome no matter what. And guess what? Things have been amazing, new and good, even if a little HARD at times.

Sure life isn't going to always be rainbows and butterflies but even within the storms, darkness and difficulty, I can see the little glimpses of light.

I choose happy. And this has made all the difference.
Christine
8/28/2012 11:46:26 pm

This is a concept I struggle with. Having clinical depression and hearing these types of things when I am severely depressed tends to add to my depression- the belief that I could be happy if I wanted to, but I'm not, so it's my own fault, my failure at happiness. These thoughts deepen the depression.

I was talking about it a short while back with a friend who is currently working on getting his PhD in psychology. He suggested that when I'm not medicated, or for whatever reason the medication isn't working as well as hoped, these types of things just don't apply. When the medication is working and I'm emotionally stable and can see things more clearly- that's when it can apply to me. I just need to do my best and know it's enough no matter what situation I'm in and let that be enough.

That really helped me reframe things in my mind and find some peace about it.

There is my two cents.

Thanks for writing, Alice!

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Alice
8/31/2012 02:13:25 am

Thanks, Christine for the insights. This may have inspired a future post about depression!

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    Alice is a high school Health and Physical Education Teacher.  She is middle of the road politically(she can be conservative on some subjects while very liberal on others), which causes many adventures in her marriage to a very staunch republican. She has always dreamed of being a published writer, but seems to find little time in her busy life.  This site is to help her have an avenue to get the creative juices flowing.

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