As you may have gathered, I am devoting the month of January to helping my readers get off on the right start in 2016. What I love about the beginning of each New Year is that it represents a fresh start, a do over for some. It is an opportunity to make some changes that will help get you to where you want to go. Your idea of making changes may involve an extensive checklist of new activities. However, you need to consider that if you do not also change your attitude, none of the goals you want to achieve will be possible. Most of us do not actively think about our attitude; rather, we just react.

Think about it. Accidents happen. Delays happen. Spouses, bosses, employees and commanders can be difficult to please. Vehicles break down. Kids may resist our efforts to keep the schedule running smoothly. What happens to your attitude then? Attitude is the way you think or feel about someone or something, leading to the way you react. The bible says, “As a person thinks, so it will be.” This means simply that if you constantly think negative thoughts such as, I could never start my own business, I will never get that promotion or I could never get myself out of debt, then your thoughts will produce the very same results.

How would your life change if you adopted a lifestyle of having a positive attitude each day?  

1. You will feel much happier about your life.
2. You will feel more motivated about pursuing your dreams because you believe in the possibilities of making them a reality.
3. You will be able to enjoy the time spent with friends and family because you will be happier and want to share your happiness with others.
4. You will feel stronger and more empowered in your ability to do anything you set your mind too.
5. You will be able to overcome challenges because you have a strong belief in your God given gifts and abilities.
6. You will be able to love deeply without fear of rejection or betrayal.
7. You will be able to pause and enjoy the smaller, more precious moments in life, without feeling pressured to do more, be more, or prove your worthiness.

Wow, this sounds pretty good doesn’t it? Remember though, that just because you choose to have a positive attitude does not mean that your life will instantaneously transform into a smooth flowing work of art overnight. I have learned the hard way that we cannot just choose to have a positive attitude once and expect everything to be perfect from that moment on. Choosing a positive attitude is a process. We will still experience things such as setbacks, delays, accidents, frustrations, arguments, fatigue, and fear. We will never be completely free of these types of experiences, but what we can control is how we react to them. We have the power to choose.

By choosing to have a lifestyle where you focus on what can be and will be, instead of what can’t or won’t ever be, you will attract positive outcomes. Bottom Line: Your circumstances should not determine your attitude. Instead, it is your attitude that defines your circumstances and determines your results. Why not go through life believing as God promised, “that all things are possible to those who believe.” If you do this, you will be happier and get more out of life.

God Bless,

Doug Hedrick