I just randomly came across this poem by Charles Swindoll, called Attitude, posted on a store window. I had to take a picture of it. In a few short sentences he tells us the secret to achieving happiness. No matter, what is happening in our lives and career, we can always rely on our choice in attitude to shift our perspective.
It is easy to have a good attitude when everything is going our way or the way we expected them to go. This poem is the most helpful, however, when we are dealing with difficult situations, usually situations we don’t expect or wish were different. We cannot control what other people do or say or cannot always change how things turn out in our careers or in our lives. One thing, we can always rely on, is how we react to what is happening.
I am saving this poem and this link so I can remember to read it, remember it, act on it when the going gets tough. Attitude = You are In Control = Happiness. I hope this poem can be a good reminder for you as well in tough times.
“The longer I live, the more I realize the impact of attitude on life.
Attitude, to me, is more important than facts.
It is more important than the past, than education,
than money, than circumstances, than failures, than successes,
than what other people think or say or do.
It is more important than appearance, giftedness, or skill.
It will make or break a company … a church … a home.
The remarkable thing is we have a choice every day
regarding the attitude we will embrace for that day.
We cannot change the inevitable.
The only thing we can do is play on the one string we have,
and that is our attitude …
I am convinced that life is 10% what happens to me,
and 90% how I react to it. And so it is with you …
we are in charge of our Attitudes.”
by Charles Swindoll
For me, this poem reminds me to ask myself three questions during tough times:
- What am I grateful for? No matter what is happening, there are still things in my life that are going well. It is important to stay grateful for what I have and look at life from an attitude of “abundance.”
- What can I learn from this? Any tough situations is a chance for me to grow and learn about myself. This can be about how to avoid these situations in the future and about building more self-awareness on where I can still grown in my character.
- If I am dying this month, this year, what would I do now? No one ever says on their death bed, that they wish they worked more or made more money. It’s important to step back from any bad situation and look at it with a broad life perspective. Sometimes, I stay in bad situation because I feel too “responsible” or just want to be”safe.” By asking myself this question, it helps me break free of that narrow view. We all have more options then we often think. By imaging drawing our last breath, we gain freedom to make decisions that are bold.
We can all choose a life that is happy for us. We sometimes just need to have the courage to do so. I truly believe everything happens for a reason, especially bad situations. That is my attitude. What is yours?
Your comments: Does this poem help you? What is your attitude in tough situations? share your comments and questions below
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Choose an attitude that makes you happy! Best wishes to your happiness today and everyday!
Lei