Finding Attitude and Gratitude in a Crazy Year
Most of us can’t wait for 2020 to be in the rearview mirror. In spite of the prolific humorous postings about shortages, shortcomings of home-school “teachers,” and hilarious pokes at 2020, we simply have to grasp onto hope and vision of a better 2021. Some of my favorite jabs at this infamous year:
>>> So in retrospect, in 2015, not a single person got the answer right to the question “where do you see yourself 5 years from now?”
>>> So let me get this straight. There’s no cure for a virus that can be killed by sanitizer and soap?
>>> Another Saturday night in the house, and I just realized the trash goes out more than me.
>>> The spread of Covid-19 is based on 2 factors: 1. How dense the population is, and 2. How dense the population is.
>>> Remember those times when you wished the weekend would last forever? Wish granted. Happy now?
In my November E-Newsletter, I offered these tips on how to gather more positive attitude and gratitude:
Turn off the news – Limit or eliminate social media – Read, listen, watch something positive – Post some positive messages – Replace a complaint with a compliment. How, you ask?
Turn off the news
Doesn’t need much elaboration. Pretty much everyone understands most of the news is either fake, slanted, lacking context, negative, or all of the above. Regardless of outlet, it’s virtually impossible to feel good after watching a news broadcast or listening to someone disguised as a journalist (or an admitted political pundit). Turn them all off. Best to limit your news to local stories, sports, and weather.
Limit or eliminate social media
I know this is tricky (and addictive), but there’s no practical way to avoid the negative posts and opinion dialogue. I personally stay off everything except Linked In. Yes, even good old business-dominated Linked In occasionally gets infiltrated by some negativity. Yet, it’s almost all positive and educational. If you really need to know what someone said or did, go to the source (a topic for another blog). Don’t rely on edited or partial excerpts from second or third hand opinions.
Read, listen, watch something positive
Check your library for material from authors like Deepak Chopra, Tony Robbins, Wayne Dyer, Steven Covey, and newer, less known authors that write or record positive messages (like In Awe by John O’Leary). Go back to some of the classics by Dale Carnegie, Viktor Frankl, and Napoleon Hill. Check out the feel-good Christmas movies on TV, Netflix, or your favorite streaming service.
Post some positive messages
Post – meaning, put them somewhere visible. Framed on a wall or shelf is nice. Just as good: your desk, the fridge, bumper or dashboard, back pocket, purse. You get the idea. You can search the cloud for thousands of choices. Such as:
>>> Kind words can be short and easy to speak, but their echoes are truly endless. Mother Teresa
>>> Have an awesome day and know that someone has thought about you today
>>> Change your thoughts and change your world – Norman Vincent Peale
>>> No one can make you unhappy without your permission
>>> Keep your face to the sunshine and you cannot see a shadow.” Helen Keller
“A positive attitude may not solve all your problems, but it will annoy enough people to make it worth the effort.”
Here’s another short read on Attitude
Replace a complaint with a compliment
This one takes a bit of work, awareness, and conscious effort. You hear a negative comment, respond with a “yes, but . . .” followed by something like: “just think about what a learning lesson that is.” Or maybe “I had an experience like that and it turned out quite lovely.”
“People will forget what you said, People will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” Maya Angelou
Comments and sharing are welcome. Be the best you can be.