Being miserable is a habit; being happy is a habit; and the choice is yours.-Tom Hopkins

Our attitude is the way we behave and is an expression of our thoughts, beliefs and emotions in any given circumstances or situations. It is the foundation upon which we build our life. This truth is not known to a lot of people.

Your attitude governs your life. It determines what you become and what you are capable of achieving in this life. Your attitude can either work for or against you. In life many things happen; some may bring joy to us, but what attitude do you bring to situations that frustrate and make you feel deeply troubled and uncomfortable?

Let’s look at a scenario in which two people face the same or similar situation in life. Both attend hospital and are tested positive for HIV/AIDS.

Patient “A” expresses deep regret about contracting the disease. He says he would lose the love of family members and friends. He says there is no cure for this deadly disease. He says he will no longer be able to work and take care of himself and his family. He says it is a death sentence he has brought unto himself. He feels hopeless and helpless.

Patient “B” is thankful for the sickness. He knows God will not give him something he cannot handle. He says God will not forsake him but will surely deliver him from his predicament. Moreover there are medicines he can take to live a normal life. He believes God will intervene and do a miracle in his life and shame the devil. He tells the medic to give him any medicine that will save his life.

Friend, from the aforementioned story, who has a better chance to live and fulfill their dream? You guessed right. Patient “A” has brought a negative attitude to the situation. He will have no motivation to seek treatment. His death will therefore come sooner than later.

Patient “B” has brought a positive attitude to the situation. He is optimistic that he can live a normal life when given HIV/AIDS medication and follows medical advice.

Our attitude determines everything in our life. The difference between successful people and those who are not depends on their respective attitudes. A wrong attitude can sabotage your efforts at goal accomplishment; a positive attitude can propel you to unbelievable heights of achievement and success.

Attitude is important and that is why you need to give it serious attention. What is your attitude towards failure? What is your attitude towards your organization and work colleagues? What is your attitude towards giving? What is your attitude towards helping other people, especially the poor?

You need to appreciate one thing: Attitude determines outcome. If you consistently have a bad attitude, chances are that you will not do well in life, you will not reach your full potential and enjoy the good life you envisage. A positive attitude will improve every situation in your life. You will cross or navigate all the barriers and enter your success zone and enjoy an amazing life.

Our attitude cannot be hidden for long; it reflects our behavior, how we perceive the world and how the world perceives us. Our attitude which mirrors our life depends on our life experiences, our thoughts and beliefs. These are not always right. And that is why attitude may be wrong or right.

We cannot change our past, how people think about us or the inevitable. We however have the freewill to choose our attitude at every given moment of our lives. We have the option of choosing to be negative or positive in whatever situation we find ourselves.

We have already seen how bad it is for us to have a negative attitude. It can spoil so many things in our life: it can impede our personal growth, retard our progress, destroy our relationships and undermine our well-being.

A positive attitude can influence us for good. It can empower us to take action to achieve our goals and dreams and improve any desired area of our life.

There are many ways we can take to improve our attitude.

We can use affirmations to improve our attitude. These are positive statements that are charged with power, conviction and faith. When they are repeated several times a day and sink deeply into the subconscious mind, they are capable of giving you positive feelings and will drive action for better results.

You also have to look at what excites and motivates you. What do you desire to do with your life? Is it a successful career, a successful marriage, successful parenting, financial gain? What will bring you a sense of fulfillment will make you move out of your comfort zone to act and achieve. Positive feelings bring about positive behavior. Positive behavior brings positive results. That is one way of improving our attitude.

Visualization is a secret of success. Images of the things desired are formed in the mind. They must be things that resonate with the heart. Visualization puts us in the path to goal accomplishment. It is the tool most successful people have used- we can think of the musician, athlete, the surgeon, the hunter etc.

There is a spirit behind the words we speak. Words are powerful and can build or destroy whoever they are directed at. Speak words that are in alignment with what is in your heart. Avoid any form of negativity; instead speak success into your life and the lives of others. This will prepare you physically and spiritually to take a bold decision to act and change things for the better.

Surround yourself with people who are successful and positive. You can model your life after such people. Their discipline, confidence, faith and can-do-it attitude will rub off on yours. Once you embrace positivity, chances are that you will experience more positive things in your world.

In conclusion, our attitude can be our best friend or worst enemy; it is, however, recommended you strive to maintain a positive attitude throughout your life. It determines how we react to adversity, our ability to grow and to learn, our ability to overcome the challenges that confront us on a daily basis and our ability to create bonds with others. This will be a catalyst for personal mastery and successful achievement. If you have a nagging wife, thank God for her life, at least she keeps your bed warm and you will be glad for it. Replace negative attitude with positive ones to achieve an amazing life. Practical ways to improve your attitude have already been explained above.

Yours in inspiration,

Abundant Robert AWOLUGUTU

Email: awolugutu@yahoo.com Cell; 0208 455 296