It’s 8 a.m on a Monday morning you’re rushing to get to work and suddenly a crazy driver cuts you off! What are you going to do? Yell at the driver (even though they of course can’t hear you) and say words that are probably not very nice or simply shake your head and brush it off? This is one simple scenario that a lot of us might go through in our daily lives. Every single morning you wake up you have a decision to make. You will decide whether you will have a good day or a bad one. Will you let the person that cuts you off in traffic make you angry? Or the fact that you can’t find your car keys and are late to work determine your attitude?
“Life is 10% what happens to me and 90% how I react to it.”
~Charles R. Swindoll
Don’t let outside forces decide what kind of day you’re going to have. There are countless stories that reflect the importance of attitude in life. I read one the other day about a man that always lived with a positive attitude. One day he was robbed and shot, miraculously he survived. Months later a former co-worker met up with him and asked him how he was doing. His response was anything short but amazing. He was not bitter or angry toward his attackers. Instead, he was grateful to continue having the chance to live.
Everything comes down to choice. Your attitude will affect every area of your life. It’s so simple to not even be aware of what kind of attitude you have most of the time. Starting today make a conscious decision you will remain joyful no matter what life throws at you.
I recently visited the Magic Kingdom in Disneyworld. My family and I spent the Christmas holiday there. On Christmas day the amusement park was (as you can imagine!) overflowing with people. If you’ve ever been there you probably know that you have to be prepared for the long wait times for the rides. As my family and I were walking to see what ride we would go on next I spotted “It’s a Small World.” I knew I had to ride it! We saw the sign 45 minutes wait time. I cringed but didn’t hesitate to get in line because I knew I wanted to experience the ride. The waiting was brutal. My feet and back were killing me. I tried not to complain much. I thought to myself I can either be complaining about the pain I’m feeling and how long the wait is or I can either enjoy being in the happiest place on earth! I chose the latter.
Small shifts in your thinking can make a huge difference in your life. I have a friend that I knew was going through some hard times, but nonetheless, he always seemed to have a smile on his face. He easily could have been angry, frustrated and bitter at how life was going for him but he chose not to. He chose to have a positive attitude; he chose to live his life filled with joy and gratitude no matter what circumstances he was in. I admire individuals like that. I’ve come to understand it’s all by choice; it’s very simple to decide your attitude first thing in the morning.
Life is far too short and time too precious to allow insignificant things to rob your joy away. We will all face challenges in life but the beauty of it all is that we all have a choice on the meaning we will give to those challenges. Remember you choose your attitude and your attitude will determine how far you will go in life. Choose wisely. ♥
Wishing you happiness, success, and a lifetime of bliss!
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