Your Own Attitude

“The greatest day in your life and mine is when we take total responsibility for our attitudes. That's the day we truly grow up.” -John Maxwell

When that day came for me, it lifted a heaviness that always seemed to be upon my life. I have spoken of this before in terms of 'rocks within your wagon'. I realized that responsibility for how I felt, how I reacted and what my attitude towards life was mine and mine alone. At that moment many of those 'rocks' evaporated. They became unimportant in the bigger scheme of things. That bigger scheme just happened to be my life and how I was living in it.

It would be foolish of me to claim that I have no struggles with attitude from time to time. But over the years I have learned to recognize the struggle is starting. To fight it off, you begin remembering the positive and important things in your life. You slow down, you stop and you think about what it is that is happening or just happened.

Accept responsibility for your self - for your own attitude - life will grow all around you.

Positive Gestures Impacting Others

“When things go wrong, you'll find they usually go on getting worse for some time; but when things once start going right they often go on getting better and better.” -C.S. Lewis

Life will be full of the downward and upward swings that come with our existence. But it is the joy of the goodness for which we live. So it is important that we learn how to first pull ourselves up the low spots. This can be difficult to do but having developed a positive attitude will help. It gives you strength to see the 'light' of better things to come.

A friend of mine has said when he is down that he, "looks for at least one positive thing each day regardless of how small it might be." And guess what, this is where you come into the picture. The small things that you do in your life do impact others.

Think of offering a small gesture of kindness to those you come across during the day. It may be simple which is just what that person who needs it is looking for. Never think that your good deed goes unnoticed for all that we do in life impacts others.

Be a person of impact, large or small...it makes a difference in other people's lives. That one thing could be that which gets things going in the 'right direction' for another person.

Prepare Yourself For Greatness

There are points in your life where you make decisions to do or not to do something for your fellow human. The opportunity to bring a small amount of goodness to someones life can happen almost daily. But doing something big requires greatness of heart.

The days will pass as you develop a positive attitude, doing the small things. Such as letting that person merge into your lane on the freeway or holding a door open for someone. Each little thing that you do builds your character and is preparing you for larger moments.

Every time I write an article, I am reinforcing to myself and hopefully to you that greatness does not happen over night. There are those that inherit millions of dollars in one fell swoop but it does not make them great. There are those get voted into power as President but that alone does not make them great. And there are those that become widely popular through the entertainment business and again, that does not make them great.

What makes a person great is the additive course of their life which brings them to that moment in life and what they do with that moment. You don't have to be those things mentioned above, you only have to exhibit greatness when your moment arrives. It isn't a test, it isn't something you really even plan for. Yet preparing yourself by doing the small things will adequately set you up to make the right choices, to take yourself to greatness.

You see, as you do the little things in life..holding the door, serving others and bringing a positive moment to their life is preparing you. It eventually becomes natural and is done with out a second thought...it just occurs. Then that moment arrives and you may not even realize it is there. Someone needs a medical transplant, someone needs a lift in life, someone needs you to be there for them...you just do it.

People who give of themselves, not foolishly but with a giving heart, are those that become great. Leaders of countries, entertainment figures, the person next door and you can all be great people. But it starts with developing a positive life style...being willing to make other peoples lives better. In turn, it will make your life better.

Counting Every Penny In Life

Every year I keep my eye open for the new U.S. one cent penny. Those shiny new copper colored coins that many consider insignificant. In daily transactions at the store or restaurant, you dig deep in your pocket to find those one or two. Many places here in the U.S. will have a small dish where your can leave extra pennies or use one or two when paying your bill.

Those lonely pennies sitting in the dish, waiting to be plucked by someone to be used. And in a small way, when you can use a penny that is patiently awaiting for you, does it not bring you a bit of happiness? Come now, it just saved you from having to break that dollar bill. Oh the humanity, to end up with a large amount of change. It is that penny which saves the day in a seemingly small and insignificant way.

Myself, I look for the new penny every year for another reason. I collect a new penny for each of my children, my wife and I. A penny for each year of our lives on this great earth. With the number of children we have, eight in total, the collection has grown quite a bit. But each penny pauses me to remind that each represents someone dear to me.

A penny, the smallest denominator of our currency yet significant in what it contributes. Like each of my children, like my wife and like myself, each of us contributes to life and how we impact others around us.

See the History of the United States Penny, did you know that the one-cent coin, commonly known as the penny, was the first currency of any type authorized by the United States? The word "penny" is derived from the British coin pence and over 300 billion one-cent coins, with 11 different designs, have been minted since 1787.

Think of all those billions of pennies out there, think of all those billions of people out there, makes it easy to think you are insignificant amongst them all. We each have importance in a lot of different ways.

Near the end of each day, hold a penny in your hand for just a moment. Think of those around you, think of those you have crossed paths with during the day, think of one small positive thing that happened to you that day. Count each of these and see that they add up to something meaningful. These are our pennies in life that add up to something good.

Make A Directional Choice

Are there multiple sign posts with directions pointing you to different possibilities in your life?

Sometimes it feels that way. You want to make a decision on choosing a course to take. Yet when you look for the path to use, signs leading every which way make the decision so much harder.

But you must choose one of them. Standing there looking them over and over will not get you to where you want to be. Choose one and if it isn't the one you really wanted, remember where the signs are. Go back and choose another for failure is merely an education in reality. Be persistent and have faith in your selection.

“The keys to patience are acceptance and faith. Accept things as they are, and look realistically at the world around you. Have faith in yourself and in the direction you have chosen.” - Ralph Marston

Striving To Impact Others

“Thought is the sculptor who can create the person you want to be.” - Henry David Thoreau

I've had a loss of words the past week. To those that read what I write and are able to take something from it, my apologies. These times can be cyclical with me, especially when I take on the worries of others. One can sometimes not know what to say, as if the words are not there to be said.

Yet all that have read my writings, my purpose is to help give you the encouragement and some positive lift to make your life better. In turn, you with a better and more positive life will pass it along to others. So when I don't write on a daily basis, it feels like I'm letting one or more of you down. My friend Dean Sweetman has always said, "work to keep your life consistent through out the ups and downs." So I'm reading, listening to great speakers and reflecting on what it is I can say to you.

My words are not meant to be shallow, "pump you up" for the short term. We all need that quick lift, that moment of happiness. But what is more important is to make our words longer lasting. To make change and impact others is what this is about. It can be difficult to judge if my words are read, if they do effect the lives of others. Though I'm of the opinion that if only in tiny increments change comes to your life, then my efforts have been worth every word written.

“To have faith where you cannot see; to be willing to work on in the dark; to be conscious of the fact that, so long as you strive for the best, there are better things on the way, this in itself is success.” - Katherine Logan

Pushing Through Pain

I've struggled the past couple of days on writing an article. There is a couple my wife and I know that are going through a tough time. My intent is not to burden you with their story but express some ideas and thoughts about pushing through in tough times.

“There is no despair so absolute as that which comes with the first moments of our first great sorrow, when we have not yet known what it is to have suffered and be healed, to have despaired and have recovered hope.” - George Eliot

These people are very good friends of ours that have had their certain share of pain and troubles. They have recently begun a travel in life that will be emotionally difficult and financially draining. What is it you can say to people in such a situation? What can be said that does not end up sounding simply like words?

“Courage is not the absence of despair; it is, rather, the capacity to move ahead in spite of despair.” - Rollo May

To support people in times of trouble requires being there. It requires providing them an outlet to talk. It requires remaining positive and providing them with emotional strength to push through. I have used the following quote before and have yet to know where it comes from. But I do find it appropriate to use in saying to anyone in times of trouble - stay strong, persevere and find yourself on the other side of pain.

“God didn't promise days without pain, laughter without sorrow, sun without rain, but He did promise strength for the day, comfort for the tears, and light for the way.”

Attitude - Stop, Think and Change

Have you ever stopped to think about your attitude in a given situation. Then tried to change the course of it by changing your attitude towards that situation? I read the following recently in a health article published by the Boston Medical Center. It is part of an ongoing program of health related information to employees of the company I work for. I'd like to share a bit of this with you as it has some very good tips.

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This practice of changing the way we think about situations is called “cognitive restructuring.” It involves examining initial feelings and if they are negative and/or irrational, replacing them with thoughts that are more constructive.

And how do you make these changes? How to put this into practice? The next time you find yourself responding negatively to a situation, ask yourself a couple of questions: Am I being rational? Is this a realistic way of looking at this issue?

Increase your self-confidence. Successful change starts with believing we can do it! That’s self-confidence. One way we can develop self-confidence is to draw on our personal experiences for examples of success. Surely you can look to other parts of your life for positive changes you’ve made in the face of challenges. You’ve held down a tough job, raised children, earned a degree, or battled a serious disease. All these teach us ways to overcome obstacles and succeed.

Learn positive self-talk. Many who are successful at weight management use positive self-talk to keep their attitude up. Self-talk is mental dialogue that we have with ourselves to stay on track. When you're feeling discouraged or run-down, try the following phrases:

• "I'm getting healthier every day."
• "I'm a good person, and the changes I’m making will improve my life."
• "I may make mistakes along the way, but I know how to learn from them and make fewer mistakes in the future."

Avoid negative self-talk. Negative self-talk can undermine your efforts. For example, just because you don’t adhere perfectly to a plan is no reason to give it all up. Also, thinking you’re all on your own in a battle is another.

Positive thinking helps you live longer! Positive thinking helps you make important changes in your life that will make you live longer and better lives. Scientists are also discovering that the act of thinking positively is itself associated with longevity.

In a new study published by the National Academy of Sciences, researchers from the University of Wisconsin found that people who have more activity in the left side of the brain - brought about by feelings such as enthusiasm and optimism - have a stronger immune response.

By contrast, activating certain brain regions associated with negative emotions appears to weaken a person’s immune response. The study’s authors say stress appears to interfere with the brain’s ability to communicate with certain types of immune cells.
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The article provides some actions you can take;

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Don't laugh at these suggestions. They may sound corny, but following them allows you to make positivity a new "habit."

• Write down your original reasons for beginning. Read them often to remind yourself why this is important to you.
• At least once a day, take time to smile at yourself in the mirror. Focus on your body’s strength, and your courage and resilience in beginning and continuing to improve yourself. Value the strong and courageous person you are!
• Select several positive phrases, and repeat them to yourself or out loud. Say them when you first wake up, while driving, or close your eyes at home and repeat them out loud to yourself.
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“The greatest revolution in our generation is that of human beings, who by changing the inner attitudes of their minds, can change the outer aspects of their lives.” -Marilyn Ferguson

You can make a change in your attitude, just stop what you are doing, think about what it is you are doing and then change what you are doing.

Daily Self Reminding

Minaret of the Jami al-Bahr Mosque.

Also referred to as the Sea Mosque or al Bahr Mosque. My apologies to any other appropriate names. It is located at the Ha`aliya Hashniya harbor in Jaffa, Israel. The tower is part of the religious mosque built by the Ottomans in the 16th Century. This minaret or large tower is used to issue the call to prayer five times each day.

It would be great if we could have someone call out to us daily to motivate us. Something to get us to maintain a positive attitude - of why we are trying so hard to succeed in all that we do.

I pulled the following from The Daily Motivator by Ralph Marston.

Will a positive attitude solve all your problems? No, but it can open your eyes to the valuable opportunities within even the most difficult situations.

Will a positive attitude make you rich and powerful? No, but it will serve as a constant reminder that you can achieve whatever you choose to achieve.

Is a positive attitude a way to escape from reality? No, in fact a positive attitude is a very powerful and effective way to successfully deal with reality.

Will a positive attitude magically bring into your life all the things you desire? No, but it can enable you to see and to follow the very real path from where you are now to where you want to be.

Will a positive attitude bring you any new energy or resources? No, but it will give you vastly greater access to the overwhelming abundance that is already yours.

Do you want to fully live the best that life has to offer? A positive attitude will enable you to see it, so that you can be it.

What Motivates You

You are sitting there and they ask that question. The one you wish you had given some thought to in your everyday life. The one we seem to take for granted, "what motivates you?" I'll be honest in saying I tend to take my own motivation for granted.

You may wonder why it matters, what reason is it that I should now. It matters because it tells others a lot about you. It also drives your success and failure in accomplishing most anything. In a job interview, the hiring manager can ask this question to gauge how well you may perform in a given situation. An article by Carole Martin on the Monster.com site provides an example of two different answers. Ms. Martin says, "writing out your thoughts will help you think about times when you felt energized by your work, times when you looked forward to going to work."

The question can be asked about several things in your life such as;

- What motivates you to exercise?
- What motivates you to volunteer time?
- What motivates you to attend church?
- What motivates you to raise your family?
- What motivates you to write a blog?

When you write down your visions and goals in life, you should ask yourself this question about motivation. But how do you find out what motivates your life? You can try the suggestions in an article by Rich Douglas. An important statement he makes is, "whether its at work or in your business, motivation skills are essential to reaching your optimum performance and gaining that winning edge."

Here are some of the motivitating factors from the Ohio State University Leadership Center.

· Power, people seeking authority in the workplace gain satisfaction from managing projects, influencing others, and maintaining control over difficult situations.

· Safety and Security, people who seek stability at work are motivated by a steady paycheck, good health-care coverage, and a safe work environment.

· Achievement, if you're roused by project and team successes, you most likely need to stay challenged to remain happy in your job.

· Autonomy, people seeking autonomy long for independence - freedom to set their own schedules, work pace, and work-related destiny. Yet, these desires don't necessarily make for a poor team player.

· Esteem, most likely, you are motivated by others singing your praises.

· Equity, you just want everyone to be treated in a fair and consistent manner.

· Affiliation, you are most likely energized by working closely with others.

And not every thing above will be your motivating factor in everything that you do. But many of us will find that we tend to fall under a few of these. When you find what motivates you in a particular area of your life, embrace it and see how much more successful you will be in that part of your life. "Everyone is motivated a little or a lot to do something or nothing. Motivation is the internalized drive toward the dominant thought of the moment. By definition, motivation is 'motive in action'." - Denis Waitley

Find what motivates you and harness the power of understanding that motivation. Strive to feed that motivation daily.

Being One Of Trust

Socrates said, "the first key to greatness is to be in reality what we appear to be." Is that not something that each of wants in other people? That they be as they really are. As part of human nature, we want to believe in others around us. But to do so, you must trust in what is revealed to you. All of us start out at a distance, with skepticism for what another person may be saying.

Think of your first date, of that first business meeting or even people you meet in everyday life. The tendency is to remain guarded to information given. It causes us to evaluate the words, the actions and the nuances of your meeting. Not until you have satisfied your own mind will you give your trust to another.

There are those that give trust easily and without condition. There are those that are difficult to gain trust from. There are different tones and variations of trust when it comes to people. The reasons vary from one end of the spectrum to the other. It isn't until we are able to know that person will we ever know why. So, “the best way to find out if you can trust somebody is to trust them" is how Ernest Hemingway put it.

Now look at yourself, look at your own ability to open up to others. Are you difficult to know as a person, do you allow yourself to be known? In the simplest way I know how to say it, we will all get 'burned' once in a while. But you shouldn't spend life closed to everything that is out there. All of this is done with the intelligience and education that life has to offer. We do not do this blindly but with the knowledge gained by various means. There will be the good, the not so good and all that happens in life.

If you learn how to open up, life will open up to you. To close yourself to others would appear to me that you've chosen to simply wait out life. Waiting for life to end and 'please just let me get get through it without experiencing it.' I've known people who have chosen not to engage. Life slides by them like the odd flower along the road. A flower that will never have its sweet smell enjoyed by others. Never to multiply as it sits alone. Only the occassional bee to extract a bit of the flowers essence because all of us do leave an impression in life.

Open yourself to the possibilities in life by being who you really are. Just be a part of life on a continual basis and live life like a great flower among many in the rose bed.

Prepare Yourself For Opportunity

"Moments in time can have a huge lifetime effect upon you and the world around you. Prepare yourself for that moment" - Dean Sweetman

Our lives are full of these 'moments in time' in which the paths of different lives will cross. Some where in time another person has been set in motion to eventually intersect with your life. These crossings occur at different times in your life and you'll never fully know when they might occur. So you need to prepare yourself for these moments.

An old saying is that opportunity is about being in the right place at the right time. Yet you must prepare yourself to be ready for that right place and right time. It is the only way you can take advantage of that opportunity, of that crossing, when it occurs.

There are four things to do in preparation for these opportunities in life. My friend Dean has spoken of these and he states;

1. Serve where you plant yourself. Where you are in life, learn to serve others and those around you. I've spoken of this before and will again. In this you will find that your needs will be met and a serving attitude with a positive attitude will bring about good changes for you.

2. Start now. My last article brings up this point. Too many times we find excuses for not starting out. In fact we tend to spend more time and energy looking for excuses then it takes to simply begin the task.

3. While serving, develop skills. As you go about your life, do not remain stagnant in your abilities. Learn more about what it is you do, learn new skills, perfect that which you do. As we all understand, there are many others out there reading more, learning more, waiting for their chance to do your job. Developing your skills will help you to better serve.

4. When opportunity comes, take it. When an opportunity comes your way, do you ponder and question if it is the right thing to do? Opportunity is what you ask for in your daily life. It is what you have dreamed of, maybe prayed for. If so, then TAKE IT!!

Winston Churchill said, "Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity". You need to prepare for when opportunity comes along. If not, it will pass you by and present itself to others.

The above picture can be obtained from most any motivational posters company online. It has a saying attached to it that says, "If opportunity doesn't knock, build a door". The quote comes from Milton Berle. Create opportunity by preparing yourself and opportunity will find you.

Tips To Problem Solving

What follows is information I gleaned from a book written by Phil Pringle. I thought I would share it with you this day. The items are basic guidelines in problem solving.

• Gather all of the information that you can.
• Gather all of the people involved and discuss.
• Communicate with everyone involved. The greater the problem, the greater the need for communication. Things are better solved in the light.
• Create faith that the problem can be solved. Fostering a 'can-do' attitude helps.
• Keep a cool head and disciplined tongue. Do not let emotions rule the day. Remember to have a "warm heart and a cool head." Do not get these two things turned around. Anger solves nothing.
• Listen and hear all sides of a problem before reaching any conclusions. Do not be in a rush to solve anything. Hasty decisions are generally bad ones.
• Stay humble, arrogance creates more problems.
• Gain counsel and advice from experts.

Taking heed to this advice will help you in life. You will find yourself changing in a positive way. "Transform the atmosphere of your environment" - Dean Sweetman