3 Ways Your Attitude Can Alter Your Life.

    

When it comes to attitude most people have heard the following mantra; always be positive, don't let the negative consume your thoughts.  While this is true and a very important principle to attitude it only grazes the surface of what attitude is and how greatly we can let it affect us.  Whether we allow it to effect our lives in a positive way or negative way is completely dependent on our habitual reactions, thinking processes, and circumstances in our past.  If we become presently aware of these 3 vitally important principles then we can manipulate attitude to present us with clear and precise results.

1. Habitual Reactions

     Your habitual reactions are the subconscious decisions your mind automatically makes when presented with a problem or situation.  The reaction is the first thing that you think of when these problems or situations present themselves to you; your automatic response.  For example, you get stuck at a red light then another, and another; Do you think great now I am going to be late or are you thinking maybe I am getting stuck at these lights for a reason; maybe to learn to be more patient.  Possibly you may think; "I maybe stuck at this light so that I won't get hit by the guy on his phone who is going to drive through the next one."  There are ways we can program our mind to build these reactions into constructive thoughts that will only build momentum and positive solutions to these problems and situations in our lives.

     A few things you can do to start making these changes can be as easy as starting with waking up in the morning 15 minutes earlier and taking a few minutes before we get out of bed to 'right the ship' as I like to say can do wonders for our entire day.   By this I mean we take a few minutes to think of the things we can be grateful for and how we are going to make today a better day than the day before.  Another thing we can do is just practice, practice, practice.  How many times do you notice something and immediately say something about it.  Usually that is your automatic response.  In the future take the time to pause before you say something and ask yourself if it is going to help build your positive attitude or is it going to add negatively to the situation or the way people view you.  We can teach ourselves to better handle different, difficult situations then we can become better people, employees, family members, bosses, or friends.  The key to changing your life lies in how well you control your habitual reactions to all of lives situations and circumstances.

2. Thinking Processes

     Building on our habitual reactions, those automatic responses we have to certain situations and circumstances, our thoughts that we dwell on and cultivate in our minds are where our brains will focus its attention on.  Just as practicing a sport will hone those skills until you become a master, if you give your negative, hurtful, destructive thoughts all of your attention then it is those which will be cultivated in the garden of your mind.  It is those habitual thought processes that will determine who you become as a person.  Are you good natured, do you care about others?  Are you depressed, do you only care about yourself?  These questions are only examples often life is much less black and white.  The answers lie more in the middle of these questions.  Most people want to be nicer to others or become greater influences but let learned habits and the reactions of others affect how they grow or not grow.  You cannot control how others react only yourself.

     Besides any underlying medical issues your mind controls everything you become whether you want it to or not.  You either teach yourself to be happy and successful, always willing to be taught and to learn something new or you teach yourself to always find the worst in people, situations and things.  Either way you teach yourself through your habitual reactions and they are strengthened through your thought processes.  Now there is just one other thing  that controls what type of attitude you have, it is also the one you have no control over.

3. Past Circumstances

     Did you grow up next to a park with two loving parents and a dog?  Did you grow up in government assisted housing with only a mom who was never home because she had to work all the time?  If you think these two examples of an upbringing do not help determine what type of habitual reactions and thought processes someone has then you need to take a closer look.  It doesn't mean that someone is better or worse than someone else, it only is the surroundings that can alter your thoughts and attitudes on things.  When presented with a difficult situation the person who grew up in the projects might have a better time handling the situation, if they were taught correctly, on the other hand maybe not.  A lot of your attitude is formed in the first 5 to 8 years of your life.  So your parents and first friends have a lot of influence on what kind of primitive attitude you adopt. Don't let your past circumstances hinder anymore future growth, if you are feeling depressed or stuck in a rut try doing something that grows your life and your mind, I think you will find that you will be less stressed and depressed when you are actively teaching yourself to be a better person.  You will find less time to complain and bicker about situations and circumstances.

     Is you attitude perfect, I know it isn't.  It will never be, because we are all humans and have complex emotions.  Some of us may have better attitudes then others, we may have been taught those attitudes while growing up whereas someone else didn't have that advantage to be taught an attitude.  Some of us handle different situations better than others.  For example when someone passes away there are those of us who cannot even handle going to a funeral while others seem to be just fine.  That's just one of the things that makes us human and makes us different.  I encourage you to teach yourself to improve your attitude, even if it is already excellent, you can reach out to those whose attitudes are not and encourage them to teach themselves to better their attitudes and grow in their lives.  There are always people watching you whether you notice or not, you can be someone's angel just by the way you respond to different situations, they may see the way you respond and be motivated to change their lives. 

Teach Inspire Make A Difference

 

 

 

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20 Things that prove you're a Success

 

We borrowed this excellent list from www.lifhack.org from the writer and contributor Carol Morgan, with some excellent insights about feelings, and emotions that you have towards lack of success and 20 reasons you have actually been successful.

 

1. Your relationships are less dramatic than they used to be.

Drama is not maturity. As we age, we should develop maturity. So maybe your relationships were drama-filled in your past, but if you have moved beyond that, then you are successful.

2. You are not afraid to ask for help and support any more.

Asking for help does not equal weakness. In fact, it is a strength. No person has ever succeeded in isolation. It takes teamwork to accomplish goals. Asking or help is a sign that you have grown as a person.

3. You have raised your standards.

You don’t tolerate bad behavior any more – from other people, or even yourself. You hold people accountable for their actions. You don’t spend time with the “energy vampires” in your life anymore.

4. You let go of things that don’t make you feel good.

No, this is not narcissistic even though it might seem like it. Self-love is success. Love yourself enough to say ‘no’ to anything that doesn’t make you happy, doesn’t serve your purpose, or drags you down.

5. You have moments where you appreciate who you see in the mirror.

Ideally, you should appreciate who you see in the mirror at every moment. But even if that doesn’t happen, if you do it more than you used to, then that is success. Love yourself. You are awesome.

6. You have learned that setbacks and failure are part of self-growth.

Not everyone can have success 100% of the time. That’s just not realistic. Life is about victories and losses. So look at your setbacks as stepping stones to something better. In reality, there really is no such thing as as setback. It’s all just part of a wondrous journey.

7. You have a support system that includes people who would do anything for you.

If you have figured out the people who “have your back” and recognized the ones who only pretend that they do, then you have succeeded. This is a painful realization, but once you learn to see the signs of betrayal, you can stay away from those people.

8. You don’t complain much.

Because you know there really is nothing to complain about. Unless you really have gone through some horrific life experience and had unimaginable losses, most of what we all experience on a day-to-day basis is just mundane. And successful people know that. And they live in a space of gratitude.

9. You can celebrate others’ successes.

Just because other people succeed, that doesn’t make you a failure. Applaud the people who rise to the top. The more positive energy you give to other people’s victories, the more you will create your own.

10. You have passions that you pursue.

You are not stagnant. You know you have something wonderful to contribute to the world. You have unique talents and gifts. Not only do you know that, you pursue it.

11. You have things to look forward to.

If you don’t have exciting things going on in your life that you are eagerly anticipating, then you are slowly dying inside. Successful people create goals that they are passionate about pursuing. They let this excitement drive their life.

12. You have goals that have come true.

Even though “failures” are a part of life, you have stuck to your goals and dreams long enough to make them come to fruition. You have  some tastes of victory. It fuels you.

13. You have empathy for others.

A person without empathy is dead inside. Empathy equals spreading love and positive energy into the world. Successful people know this. They love others as if they are family.

14. You love deeply and open yourself up to be loved by others.

Love is risky, and sometimes scary for people. It’s the one thing we all strive for, but it’s also intimately tied to the one thing we fear the most – rejection. If you open your heart enough to love and be loved, then you are successful.

15. You refuse to be be a victim.

You know that life doesn’t always happen to you. Many times, you are a co-creator of your life experiences. Successful people know this and refuse to be kept down by life experiences. The rise up and conquer anyway.

16. You don’t care what other people think.

You know you can’t please everyone. You know that the standards with which society judges people is many times unrealistic. So you just keep true to yourself and love the person you are.

17. You always look on the bright side.

Life can be full of disappointments – if you choose to see them that way. Otherwise, they are learning opportunities. No negative experience is ever wasted as long as you learn from it.

18. You accept what you can’t change.

Let’s face it – there many things you can’t change in life. All you can change is how you view what happens. If you can change your negative perspective on situations to a positive one, then you are successful.

19. You change what you can.

And let’s face it again – there are many things you can change in life. Successful people don’t sit around accepting the negatives that are changeable. They get out there and do something about it!!

20. You are happy.

To me, this is the ultimate definition of success. It doesn’t matter what the balance is in your bank account, how big your house is,  or how many fancy vacations you take. If you are happy, then you are succeeding in life.
Even if you don’t see yourself in many of these 20 things, don’t fret. It’s okay. Be happy that you see yourself in just a few. In time, the rest will come. You just need to keep moving onward and upward.

By: Carol Morgan           www.Lifehack.org

4 Things That Can Improve Your Day

Is everything in your life the way you want it to be?  Are you in a good place or stuck in a pit of stagnation?  Whether one or the other you probably have some things in your life that are working themselves out the way that you planned and others that are stuck in the ditch.  That is why I decided to write this short little blog post. 
       In everything we do or do not do a choice has to be made.  Do we watch another episode of our favorite show on Netflix (because it loads automatically and is easy to do) or do we shut the TV off and take a jog around the blog with the dog. It is only one decision during one day, yet it can be life changing.  All of our choices have the ability to compound and turn themselves into habits; good and bad.  It is in these decisions that our lives can be controlled; make calculated, conscious decisions and your life will be easier with your habits of taking care of responsibilities and such never being questioned.  Although making irrational, unconscious decisions could compound in a way that gets you stagnating in the dreams and goals you have laid out for yourself.  Then you get depressed and give up on those goals and dreams. 
       I found a few things that can help turn around our bad habits and maybe even reinforce the good:

1. A positive outlook - without this you are on a sinking ship, stop living with the dark side and look at the right things.  A positive mindset can right the course.

2. Desire to change - if everything in your life is exactly what you want then why change.  You must realize that you desire a change for the better.  Map out some goals and then....

3. Action - Superman, The Flash even Dr. Evil whether superhero or super villain these guys accomplished something because they acted.  Create a goal or plan then act on it.

4. You have to have faith- in a none George Michael kind of way,(for those of you who remember what I am talking about)  but faith in your plan.  You have to believe that with consistent effort and hard work you will accomplish your goals despite any setbacks.

Your life can change for the better whether you need a little tweak (not twerk) to get your goals back on track or you are depressed and anxious about waking up everyday and going to a job you hate.  Think about who you are, what makes you happy, and act on it. 

Post written by Tim Zugger author of Success through Failure which will be available Dec17 2013 on Paperback and Kindle.

www.attitudedriveslife.com

Think like this. It will solve everything.

       You're selfish.  Face it; that is the hard reality.  Are we not programmed to take care of ourselves first.  Think of every single problem that arises in this world.  It stems from a belief in selfishness.  Whether its forcing some people to believe the way someone else believes, taking things from someone who you think doesn't deserve it, or just saying things that hurt someone else's feelings.  All of those problems come from the root of selfishness.  We cannot change this thought process in the world over night; but if each one of us really reflected on what is important in our lives and changed the way we react and the things we expect; real change could be made.  One person at a time.

       We are all selfish. This is where all of our headaches come to us from; especially in relationships.  The reason people fight or end their marriages are always some from of selfishness.  Think about it.  Can't we just have faith that it is your spouses job to fulfill your needs and your job to fulfill theirs.  Leave it at that and stop trying to have it all. Be more patient and think about other people in this world.  Especially when those people are your family.

       If we were all more patient and took time to appreciate things for what they are we would live in a better world.  We need to kill our selfishness and help others who necessitate it, encourage those who need encouraging, love those who need to be loved, and always know that your needs will get met. Always, if you are reading this you most likely are not starving or homeless, so you are better off then 90% of the world anyway.

Treat everyday as a gift.  Be more patient.  Take care of others like you would take care yourself.

www.attitudedriveslife.com

Today You are Alive

       Our lives are much shorter then we think they are.  When we are young we feel as if we could never die.  Most likely it is the furthest thing from our minds.  The reality is we all will be gone someday, it is unfortunate but no one lives forever.  Which is why I implore everyone whose eyes read these lines below to take a step back from their busy lives surrounded by work and obligations and focus on setting a goal to inspire others to lead great lives.  Think of that reality.  We may only be here for a unknown number of years.  So the best chance you have at achieving greatness is to implement it into your daily lives.  I want to challenge you to do this.

       As cliché as it may seem there is only one day that matters, that is today.  We have to unhinge our focus on the distractions of yesterday and the thoughts of tomorrow.  We will accomplish this by channeling our focus on today through the implementation of a working plan or a living outline guide.  I believe that as a society we are constantly urged and pushed to get out of balance, through subconscious things we pick up everywhere( TV, radio, advertising, etc.) if we do not have a map or guide it is easy to become bogged down and left feeling like we have no direction.  This is why I urge people to limit their down time activities to include the making of goal and dream outlines that help guide your focus during the day to day grind.  It is easy to get distracted. 

       Today is the only today you will ever live.  It is different than yesterday and tomorrow will not bring the same things as today.  Use your today to inspire, encourage, and motivate.  You do not know it but someone is watching you, admiring you from afar, and the next nice little thing you do could give them the courage or inspiration they need to make a great change in their life.  You may never even know it.  Think of other people today, instead of yourself, you will find that you feel more self-served when you tend to focus on the smallest needs of others first.  It is a wonderful thing. 

       Make a schedule that implements a plan to work toward accomplishment of your dreams and desires.  Don't just think that it will magically happen one day.  Be real and live in the reality that today is the only day you have to work towards your goals, you are not guaranteed another day.  So work towards those desires earnestly, show the world that you can make a positive difference.

       I do not mean to bring up the topic of death as a reminder to us that we face an inevitability but only to encourage and motivate you to use the time that you have been given to do wonderful things, not evil things. The reason I write about this topic today is that a friend of mine lost her brother recently and you never know when you're time is up and I wanted to inspire others to realize that when it's you're time it is better to have used it well in helping and encouraging others, such as my friends brother did, rather then be wishing you had done more when your journey is complete.

       So I ask you now to be like my friends brother, make others laugh, it may be just what they need for their day.  Say hello to someone new, show someone you care through a nice gesture or courtesy, make a new friend.  It is what he would have wanted and I am sure we can all find it within ourselves to be a little less selfish and go out of our way to show some generosity towards others.  Today is you're day, make sure you live it to the fullest, there will never be another day like today.

Top 10 Reasons to Love Life.

Some people always seem to fret about their lives and be unhappy for whatever they have. But what they don’t realize is that they are missing various beautiful aspects of living life to the fullest. There are tiny things in life that matter a lot to you, us and everyone around. But being preoccupied with all the negative thoughts, you simply sidetrack the simple reasons to love being alive. Read on to know about the 10 reasons to love life.

1. Family

Dad, mom, brother, sister, grandparents, children – the people who form a part of your family; you love them without a reason. They are the ones to give you support, to be there for you and cherish you for what you are. They are the reason for what you are.

2. Dreams

Whether you dream at night or day, dreams have the power to take you to an imaginary world. A world where you believe everything is possible. It’s a different kind of joy that you feel while soaring in your dreams. Whether you believe in them or not, they are present in your life just the same.

3. Love

If ever there was an emotion made so pure, so serene and otherworldly, it has to be love. God made us to love oneself, to love others without expecting anything in return. Love in all its manifestations is a great event in itself to watch, to experience and to give forth.

4. Acts of kindness

Kindness means different things to different people. For some, it’s the joy of giving. For others, it’s doing worthwhile things for someone in need. Yet others think it’s an uninhibited emotion that reveals itself when the heart feels so.

5. Making someone laugh

There are many people on the road, in that lane, at the office, in the neighborhood who haven’t laughed heartily since a long time. When someone makes them laugh, their face crinkles with pure happiness. That joy is unmatched.

6. Nature

What is it about nature that is so unfathomable? Historians, poets, naturists and so many others have tried to delve into its mystery. The endless oceans, the relentless rain, the bright sun, the enchanting forests, the shelter of the sky – these are all bits and pieces of nature that we should always be thankful for.

7. Seeing someone you love smile

When you smile, it might mean the world to someone. It’s true – Smiling does spread, like a contagious disease. However, we wish this disease would spread the world over. Millions of people would get another reason to love being alive, isn’t it?

8. The aroma of something delicious

Remember the aroma of freshly baked cookies made by your mom? Or a pot of hot chocolate? These aromas tantalize the taste buds. The power of these aromas transports you to a different place, where you can glide along relishing in the aromas.

9. Poetry

There is nothing more beautiful that words can do, except poetry. In poetry, a poet loses himself/herself and soars into the clouds of imagination. There is nothing to stop the flow of words that tumble onto a piece of paper. Poetry also gives you a chance to delve into the depths of any object or human. The various aspects of nature, climates, humans, their feelings and an ample number of other things find their way in poems.

10. Surprises

Who is the one who doesn’t like to receive surprises of any kind? The pure bliss you feel after someone surprises you is priceless. After all, if you knew what’s coming next for you, wouldn’t life turn boring? So throwing in a bunch of surprises every now and then is life’s way of rewarding you.

Once again I am grateful for the chance to share another amazing article from an amazing writer.  For other articles like this go to www.magforwomen.com

For great Shirts and books go to www.attitudedriveslife.com

This is what will make your life complete......

       Time is the one thing we cannot control.  Yet we seem to spend it the most foolishly.  Is everything picture perfect in your life?  Most likely not.   Would you like to have the ability to change some of those things to improve your existence?  Again, most probably would; I would.  I know that I am not perfect and will not be anytime soon (wink wink) so the best I can do is offer my advice as to how we can improve some things to greatly affect our lives and those we share them with. 
1. Time Management

       If you are an organized productive member of society then you most likely have a grasp on this; or possibly need a major overhaul.  Two simple things to make time management easy; number one.

 Clutter causes chaos. 

As a society I personally believe we are too materialistic and have too many things.  That doesn't mean we cannot have nice things or things we want.  I am only stating my opinion; I actually want a lot of things.  But looking at it from the outside one can see that clutter causes stress, forgetfulness, angst, laziness, and apathy.  When we surround ourselves with unnecessary clutter we become disorganized and after a while we accept it, and live with it as the norm.  How many people reading this has a basement, garage, loft or closet with a bunch of boxes of stuff you never use or never will use filling those spaces.  I know I do, every spring I go through every box and throw, donate or give away things.  I only have a few boxes left!  I hold on to my sentimental things but we all seem to accumulate things over the years and never get rid of any of them.  It will make your life so much more simpler if you organize.
Number two:

Slay the stress.

Anyone who knows great time management can tell you; if there are tasks you must complete do those first.  Simplify your schedule and do the tasks that you don't want to do or the most important ones first.  Honestly, by completing your difficult tasks you empower yourself by becoming a motivated working monster who has completed the hardest/ most annoying job of the day and you haven't had your coffee break yet.  Now that you are super motivated because you took down that dragon of a task first thing, you are so motivated to do anything else that needs to be done. 


2. Mindset.


This is paramount in our daily lives.  Every second of every day we our making decisions that can have major implications for our future.  The moment your feet hit the floor and you wake up in the morning you decide what kind of attitude you are going to have for that day.  It could be based on a feeling, or a thought, even a dream.  That decision will carry you through your entire day where you will make other decisions whenever you greet someone or get cut in line at the coffeehouse.  You immediately make a decision on what kind of attitude you are going to emanate.  Everyone sees this nonverbal communication.  You know what I am talking about, you seem someone first thing in the morning with a huge smile on their face and you say; why are you so happy?  You see someone staring at the floor with a blank expression and you ask, what's going on?  You see it everywhere, everyday, every person.  Your attitude will make or break your relationships, career, friends, and even the amount of money we make.  I know it's crazy but there is research to back it up.

3.Balance.

Balance is the juggernaut.  The pinnacle.  It is the end all be all in your life;  think of people without balance.  Without balance someone who drinks is an alcoholic, without balance a great worker and provider turns into a workaholic.   You can see where I am going with this, is working hard a bad thing absolutely not unless it interferes with your responsibilities as a mother or father, friend or mentor;  then I would have to say working too much is irresponsible.  It is all about balance just like someone who enjoys a drink here or there.  Every once in a while is fine to have a couple, but when you drink every day and it effects your job, relationships or responsibilities then I guess there is a problem with balance.

Balance is the one thing every single person in the world needs in their lives.  They need to feel fulfilled and have their needs met; and at the same time they need to fulfill the needs of those who rely on them.  Balancing life, family, friends, spirituality, health, work, personal time, sports, vacations, hobbies, needs of others, and what ever else you juggle in your life.  You will find the most fulfilled and 'happiest' people are those who are most balanced.

I hope this was helpful and that you benefit from this and my other posts. For more get info go to

www.attitudedriveslife.com


Thank You All