Last Tuesday, my boss forwarded the notification about our company's learning center. I was not minding the mail blast to all employees until my boss asked me to visit and maximize the tools made available to the employees.
It is then I decided to borrow one of the books and I chanced upon this book about attitude.
Maybe it is just me but I noticed that as I age, frustration and anger shows up so easily whenever things do not go as I plan it to be. The books tells me that among the things that is happening around me, there is always one thing that I can control and in most cases it is the only thing given to me to control: my attitude.
Thing that surprised me about the book is the part that it echoes the other book that i just completed reading (Secrets of Millionaire's Mind).
"Control your thoughts, Control your feelings"
The books explains that all our emotions and feelings are fueled by the thoughts inside our mind. Thus, if one wants to manage his/her emotions, one must manage his/her thoughts. Managing thoughts is managing attitude.
Have you read that story about the "spilled coffee in the morning"? The story goes about a dad having breakfast and ready to go to work. Accidentally, his son pushed his mug causing him to spill the coffee on his shirt. As expected, he was mad. He got frustrated and shouted at his son. He was late and the need to change shirt adds in the delay. He was mad and furious that even after changing his shirt and reaching his office, his mood during the day was the same, mad and angry.
The event that affected his whole day was only a few seconds of time. A spilled coffee. A few seconds that because he chose to shout and be mad, it dictated the theme of his day.
The book explained that time is really short to be mad and angry and be frustrated. We always have a choice to look at the bright side. Look at the ways we can make the bad things into something better. Instead of being negative, look at the bright side of things.
I have listed the essential points I got from the book below but I suggest you read it yourself if you have time.
The Choice Within You
- Evaluate your present attitudes (Philippians 2:5) Are my attitudes today pleasing Christ and me?
- Think, is your faith stronger than fear (Matthew 21:21)? Am i taking faith-action on my present fears?
- Write a statement of purpose (Philippians 3:13, 14) Have I written, verbalized and acted on a plan to change my attitude?
- Determine if you have the desire to change (Psalm 37:4) Change is possible if I want it bad enough. Am I willing to pay the price?
- Live one day at a time (Matthew 6:34) Am I allowing tomorrow's troubles to sap me of today's strenght?
- Change your thought patterns (Philippians 4:8) That which holds our attention determines our action. Am I thinking on the right things?
- Develop good habits (Deuteronomy 6:5-9) Am I repeatedly acting on positive habits to overcome negative ones?
- Continually choose the right attitude (Proverbs 3:31) Am I continually choosing to change?
The Opportunities Around You
- Enlist the cooperation of a good friend (Deuteronomy 32:30) Do I meet regularly with a friend who helps me?
- Associate with the right people (James 4:4) Are my friends helping or hindering my changes?
- Select a model to follow (Philippians 4:9) Am I spending time with a person I admire?
- Learn from your mistakes (John 8:11) What recent mistakes have I made which caused me to change?
- Expose yourself to successful experiences (Luke 11:1) What positive event or person will I see today?
The God Above You
- God's Word (2 Timothy 3:16, 17) Am I receiving daily strength from God's Word?
- Prayer (James 5:16) Am I praying daily and specifically about my attitude?
- The Holy Spirit (1 John 4:4) Am I continually being filled with the Holy Spirit?
