The Importance of a Positive Attitude – Smile!!
People are so funny. They’ll go to school and learn from books for practical things, “educational” things they would call it. But trying to improve on yourself? Reading books…to learn how to improve yourself? Oh no…they’ll steer clear of that most of their lives. Why?
Possibly because (and I’m speaking from my own past/personal experience here) it would show a sign of weakness? That they need to improve themselves? No way, those self-help aisles are for crazy people or losers.
Again, why?
If you’ve ever gone down one of those aisles (or found things online) and/or picked up some of the books I think you’d be amazed at the wealth of knowledge there. Why not learn from other people who have BEEN there, who have felt it and who discovered something USEFUL that you can apply to your own life?
I know we like to think we are all so “unique” and “original”, and in a TON of ways we are. But when you boil it all down we are all just people and we all go through a lot of the same stuff. That’s just a fact.
When I tried to recommend a couple of books that have really helped me to a friend of mine (who was going through something similar), her response was “I don’t know, I’m not really a fan of self-help books and the media. I would rather realize things like that through experience.”
My response…didn’t have one. Because that’s her opinion and who am I to argue (and honestly part of me agrees with gaining your own experience)? I probably would have had a similar response a few months ago myself. But one thing turned it around for me and an avalanche of amazing resources started flowing into my life. And guess what? They HELPED! A LOT. In all areas of my life.
Did you know that your negative thoughts can physically make you sick?
That you can actually worry yourself into an ulcer, cancer and even an early grave?
It’s true. And mind blowing really. I sort of already knew that a positive mindset was a valuable thing to have, but it wasn’t until I was reading a few of Dale Carnegie’s books – specifically How to Stop Worrying and Start Living that I heard about specific and EXTREME examples of just how true this is.
I’m actually fighting a sore throat right now…and yeah, I might get sick. But until I actually DO, my mindset will be that I’m NOT going to get sick (I’ve always thought this way BEFORE reading any books – but now I know there’s proof!).
I’m actually too busy to get sick, I simply just don’t have time for it. 🙂 But even if I do, it’s not the end of the world, is it? People get sick and they get better and then the colds are a thing of the past – so why WORRY about getting sick? The worry will likely increase the odds that you will!
But how important is a positive attitude really? Isn’t what’s going to happen going to happen regardless of how you think or feel about it?
The answer: Not necessarily.
Have you seen that toothpaste commercial that says, “Life opens up when you do?” That’s actually true. Someone with a positive attitude, a welcoming persona, a smile on their face is going to have far more doors open for them in life than someone with a frown on their face.
A really amazing analogy that I was recently shown and is so true but we rarely think about, is the ebb and flow of life. Just like with the tides, relationships need give and take, you breathe in and out, there’s always good and bad.
When we worry or resist we are often met with resistance, rather than if we go with the flow, we find that our inner state can remain even regardless of what’s going on around us. There’s always going to be conflict, good and bad, red lights, green lights. Why fight it?
Why not have a positive attitude and see the silver lining and see what happens? Could it hurt? I don’t think so.
Okay, those were my thoughts for today, I don’t know if you found them useful or not. Please feel free to leave me a comment below with your thoughts.
And IF you are open to some great books 😉 I highly recommend – (I haven’t even finished them yet!! But they are great. I’ll leave a full review for them when I’m done):
How to Stop Worrying and Start Living
Your Friend,
Kat
NurturingYourBody.com
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