Facing Life In A Positive Way

“Attitude is the way you mentally look at the world around you. It is how you view your environment and your future. It is the focus you develop toward life itself.” - Elwood Chapman from his book Up Your Attitude! Changing the Way You Look at Life.

Each of us has a choice on how we look at our place in life. We can accept things as they are with a good attitude and then work to better our condition - if that is what we want. Or we can choose to wallow in despair and spend our energy in complaint.

If we decide to choose a path of 'woe is me', then we will be less inclined, less engaged and have lesser ability to focus on change. All of our energy will be drained by constant self doubt. Our mood will be sour to the point that others will be more reluctant to be around us. Except for other complainers and self-doubters.

Yet to take what you have and turn it into gratitude for what you do have...to see it as an opportunity to move beyond will change your daily life. Having a positive attitude does not guarantee riches and fame. What it does do it help you enjoy the life you already have and allow you to focus, to apply your energy towards something better. It gives you the strength to have boldness that will allow change in your life.

So develop an attitude that is positive, see the world in a new light and then move beyond your circumstance. Stop being angry at the world and those around you. Allow yourself to enjoy your life and the challenges you face.

Reaching A Goal

Here we are on what many may consider the beginning of the last month of summer. August 1 in the year 2007 and only a few weeks left until many school systems here in the U.S. open their doors.

One last chance to get to the beach, the local swimming pool or a quick vacation. One last chance to prepare for final months of this year. Getting yourself ready to complete all of those goals that you set back on January 1, 2007.

At MyGoals, to stay on track they suggest the following. "First, accept personal responsibility for staying on track. It's not up to anyone else, just you. You alone decide what you want to accomplish, and when." It was you that made the decision to accomplish those things in your heart and mind. So accept the idea that it is you that needs to get them completed.

The final months of any year can be busy and quite distracting. Life has a way of pulling us off our charted course. But with the right attitude and conviction, you can keep your focus on achieving your goals. I read a quote once from a person I think was Michael Hanson who said, "to will is to select a goal, determine a course of action that will bring one to that goal, and then hold to that action till the goal is reached. The key is action.”

Action, movement, continuance towards your goal is what you must remember. Change which will result in your goal is caused by movement. Keep moving towards your goal and accomplish that which you seek.

Living Older, Better

I learned today that my friend Dean Sweetman is taking his vision of the Wheel of Life into a book. It takes a look on how to balance your life so that you can improve and experience a great life. When I am able to, I'll make sure that I give everyone a link to the book.

As often happens when I begin to work on each of my blogs, one thing leads into another and knowing that Dean is writing his book, a recent article came to mind. This particular article was written by Dr. Tedd Mitchell. Just a short but relevant article providing advice for those of us that are growing older or are of an older age.

He provides these following habits that if followed can improve your longevity and quality of life.

- Stop smoking. It's a big health threat.
- Exercise to keep your body strong.
- Nourish yourself with proper nutrition.
- Involve family members and friends in your health care.
- Observe follow-up orders; partner with a doctor for preventative maintenance.
- Read to stimulate your brain.
- Sleep to rejuvenate your body and recharge your batteries.
- Regularly practice safe driving skills.
- Understand your medical condition(s) and any medications.
- Lose weight. Longevity is associated with light body weight.
- Ensure good vision and hearing through regular eye and ear exams.

With there being so many of our loved ones including ourselves living to an older age, let us enjoy that older age in good health.

Exercise For A Better Life

When you are working towards having a great or better life, your health becomes important so that you can enjoy it. Being in poor health will result in spending your time and money at doctor offices or in hospitals. So taking care of your physical self is just as important as the mental self. I have written previously about this balance in life with my "Wheel of Life" articles.

This physical part of your life can be reasonably easy to maintain. It is said that 30 minutes of exercise a day can be quite beneficial. But where to put this exercise time into your schedule can be difficult to do. You need to find the time and here are a few tips I came upon in an article by Jorge Cruise in an interview with Bobbi Brown, the CEO of Bobbi Brown Cosmetics and author of "Bobbi Brown Living Beauty."

- Set your alarm 45 minutes before your family gets up or before you would normally get up.

- Make exercise a part of your social life. "I even asked all my friends to join me for a walk on my birthday," the beauty expert says. For myself (Joe Primm), my church is building a new wing that will house a very modern and well-equipped exercise facility. Open to both church members and the community, a great way to round out your life.

- Cut out the junk. "if you're not eating properly, you're not going to feel like exercising.

- Create any kind of home gym you can -- even if it's just a few free weights or an exercise ball.

- "Music is key," she notes. " like popular rap music; it really keeps me motivated.

So do something, anything, to make your life physically better. You'll feel better, you'll perform better, your life will be better.