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It All Begins With Attitude
IT ALL BEGINS WITH ATTITUDE
from the seminar
BREAKING THROUGH LIFE'S BOUNDARIES
by
Pat Spithill
Seminar Leader * Author * Keynote Speaker
(C) Copyright, 1989, Pat Spithill
P.O. Box 505 * Hutchins, Texas 75141
214-225-8051
This material may not be reproduced or altered without written
permission of the author and copyright holder.
The Importance of Attitude
The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines the word "attitude" as "a
mental position or feeling with regard to an object." The mental positions
or feelings are our thoughts, beliefs and opinions. The object is life.
In other words, attitudes encompass all of the thoughts, beliefs and
opinions which people have about their lives.
Over 2500 years ago, Buddha said, "All that we are is the result of
what we have thought; it is founded on our thoughts. If a man speaks or
acts with pure thought, happiness follows him, like a shadow that never
leaves him." Buddha also said, "It is a man's own mind - not his enemy or
his foe that lures him into evil ways." A person's attitude, what Buddha
was speaking of, is the very foundation on which his or her life's
experience has been, is, and will be built. Every part of reality is the
result of a person's attitudes. In simple terms, our attitudes reflect
what we expect from life. This shouldn't be confused with what we want,
dream or hope for. No one wants to be unhappy, lead a boring life or look
back over the years with remorse and regret. Yet, so often rather than
expecting the best life has to offer, people expect much the opposite.
They expect problems and get problems; expect disappointments and are
disappointed; expect to fail and then, rather than experience the desired
success, they fail.
If attitudes are the mental expectations about jobs, relationships,
financial status and so on, then these very powerful thoughts must be the
elements which set the course for our lives and destiny. It isn't life's
circumstances which create the attitudes; it's the attitudes which create
life's circumstances. When people change their expectations and attitudes,
then their lives must surely change as well.
I know a gentleman who, in the late 1960's, worked as a repossessor
of logging trucks. If you will, create a mental image of a person who
walks up to burly truck drivers and says, "I have to either have a payment
or the keys, whichever you want." I would picture someone about 6'3" and
220 pounds of solid muscle. As it happens, Jim Cathcart is 5'9", rather
slender and not the muscular type. People who repossess cars, foreclose
homes, or work for collection agencies tend to be negative thinkers.
However, one day Jim heard a radio program with a message about the power
of positive expectations. He changed his attitudes and began planning for
and expecting an exciting success filled future. Today, Jim Cathcart is an
internationally recognized leader in the field of sales and management
seminars and consulting. Jim has written eight books, is the co-author of
Relationship Strategies, an all time top selling audio cassette program
from Nightingale-Conant, and is one of the highest paid professionals in
his business. And all because he expected to succeed, he expected the best
life could provide.
This article about building the foundation for your life on the
concrete blocks of a positive attitude will cover four things: the source
of attitudes; the difference between directive attitudes and reactive
attitudes, how the word HALT can help you maintain and strengthen positive
attitudes, and specific skills and techniques for building expectations for
a wonderful and exciting life.
Attitudes - Directive or Reactive
Most people fail to ever consciously take control of their lives,
living at the mercy of the prevailing winds of fate. Their attitudes are
reactive in nature rather than directive. These people constantly respond
to changing conditions rather than creating situations which suit their
purposes.
If you were to lose your job today, how would you react? What
emotions would you feel? Would you be angry, incensed, hurt, disappointed?
Would you go home, feel terrible and beat-up on yourself for hours on end?
A little over a year ago, just before my wonderful wife Jan and I relocated
to the Dallas area from Denver, the company for which she worked went
through what can only be called disastrous changes. Over the course of
four months, the firm laid-off 90% of its work force, approximately 85
people. Due to decreasing revenues, it was obvious to everyone employed by
this company that these lay-offs were going to take place and that nearly
everyone would be affected. The only question was, in which lay-off series
would a person finally lose his or her job. Very few people bothered to
prepare for what was about to happen: yet, they knew it was coming. Most
were shocked, upset and completely taken by surprise.
Of the 85 people, only two prepared and lined up new jobs in advance,
staying only long enough to collect their severance checks and move onto a
brighter future. Four people hung on until the very end then, immediately
went out and found new opportunities. The vast majority, however, seemed
to REACT in a pessimistic fashion; deciding to live off unemployment for a
few weeks or months while displaying an attitude of "being laid-off has
made my life terrible." The lay-offs were not terrible, they just were.
The circumstances became terrible because these people believed the company
controlled their professional lives. Rather than taking firm control of
the situation, the overwhelming response was to do just that--respond and
waste a considerable amount of energy complaining about the cards life had
dealt them. For the select few, it was anything but terrible. One woman
secured a direct marketing position with a large exporter in Hong Kong.
Others went to work for various competitors or started their own companies.
One person transferred to the head offices in Dallas. Jan was that person.
The situation was identical for every
person involved. The difference was found in how each dealt with the life
change. The people who took control of the situation had directive
attitudes. The people who believed they were at the mercy of this company
had reactive attitudes.
As long as people let external forces create their thinking for them,
they will have little or no control over their lives. When we decide to
take charge of our beliefs, we take charge of our lives. Whether a person
calls it positive thinking, enthusiasm, or goal setting, it is nothing
short of an "I will control my destiny and expect wonderful things from
life" attitude. Thanks to Jan's expectations, she was transferred to the
company headquarters with a substantial promotion. In four short years,
she rose from a common word processor to head the firm's microcomputer
systems network. Why? Because that is what she wanted and more important
- expected.
If you are ready to discover your own best attitudes, if you are ready
to begin directing your life by taking command of your thinking, then here
is the first action step to help you do just that.
Begin to look at your present attitudes and beliefs about life. Do
you believe that you can accomplish anything you truly desire? Or, do you
believe that you are subject to outside influences? Using Worksheet No. 1,
write down your beliefs about other people, co-workers, supervisors, and
the significant people in your personal life. Consider and write down your
feelings about success and your ability to succeed, your attitudes toward
money, your health and physical well-being. In order to build a new
attitude, it's essential to know what materials are currently in the
foundation on which you will be building.
ATTITUDES WORKSHEET NO. 1
In order for these ideas to work for you, it is necessary to be
completely honest with yourself. The purpose of this worksheet is to help
you determine where you are right now. Do your responses represent
reactive or directive attitudes?
1. What do you believe regarding your own potential for personal
achievement? For example, how much can you accomplish if you set your mind
to it?
____________________________________________________________________________
_ __________________________________________________________________________
___ ________________________________________________________________________
_____
2. What are your beliefs concerning the influence of external forces? Do
you believe that big business, the government or other people can hinder
your progress? If so, to what extent?
____________________________________________________________________________
_ __________________________________________________________________________
___ ________________________________________________________________________
_____
3. Describe your general feelings about supervisors and co-workers. Do
you believe they appreciate your efforts? Are they jealous of your
abilities? Are you jealous of their abilities or positions?
____________________________________________________________________________
_ __________________________________________________________________________
___ ________________________________________________________________________
_____
4. Describe the feelings you have for the members of your family. How do
you perceive your spouse? Do you see more faults now than before? How
about your children? What do you see in them? Do you believe you gain
more joy from your family or a sense of responsibility?
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
5. How do you feel about your job? Is it what you would choose if you
could choose anything? When you are working, does it feel like toil or
like play?
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
6. Do you believe you have the ability to change your life? Explain your
answer.
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
7. If you were faced with being laid-off, knowing well in advance that it
was coming, what would you do? Would you direct or react to the
circumstances in which you found yourself?
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
The Source of Attitudes
A few nights ago, I watched two movies on cable television, THE
NATURAL and MY FAIR LADY. For some reason, I found myself emotionally
drawn into both of these movies and began to wonder what affected me so
strongly. It was because the central characters, Roy Hobbs and Eliza
Doolittle, expected to overcome what appeared to be impossible odds. For a
short period of time and with only one chance left, a man in his mid-30's
became what he was determined to become - the greatest baseball player in
history. Eliza Doolittle overcame the limitations of her upbringing to
rise from flower girl to courtesan.
Why is it that so few people in this world have an attitude which says,
"I can and will succeed - I am going to reach my goals." And, how is it
that so few people ever expect anything from life other than a job, a
family, and eventual retirement? The answer to both of these questions is
that our attitudes are seldom our own. They are usually learned from our
parents, teachers and peers who learned their attitudes from their parents,
teachers and peers. We expect from life what we have learned to expect
from life.
There are also two ways in which attitudes can be developed rather
than learned. The more common of these is to form expectations based on
intense life changing situations. Perhaps the best example I can think of
comes from my friend Dottie Walters. Some years ago Dottie found herself
in need of a job in order to make ends meet. She began reading the
classifieds and noticed that the local newspaper had a position open for an
advertising sales representative. As Dottie couldn't afford a baby-sitter,
she put her two daughters in their stroller and headed for the office of
the newspaper. With daughters in tow and total determination in her heart,
she walked into the editor's office and literally demanded the job even
though she had no experience. The editor, not sharing Dottie's vision, did
his best to dissuade her. Finally, but without admitting defeat, he said,
"Fine, you can go out
there and beat the streets if you want to. It's straight commission.
When you don't sell anything, maybe then you'll give up on this crazy
idea." With her two daughters still in the stroller, Dottie took the sales
kit and started knocking on doors. The rest is history. Part of that
history is that she sold more advertising for this newspaper than had ever
been sold to date. From Dottie Walters' need was born determination, and
from the determination - an attitude. The attitude was, "I can accomplish
anything I set my mind to." Today, Dottie is a very successful business
person, speaker, consultant and publisher.
Unfortunately, it is just as easy to develop negative attitudes as it
is to develop positive attitudes. Sometimes, when people get hurt through
relationships, they cease to risk being vulnerable. They hold back in
order to avoid being hurt again. Their attitude is that the risk is too
great. People who have failed at a business or career might settle into
something less satisfying but more "steady." People who have invested and
lost money in the stock market may decide to play it safe with a savings
account.
Dottie took a risk because, in her own mind, she had nothing to lose.
And she won. But sometimes, people lose and rather than lose again, quit
the game. An expectation is developed of, "If I take risks, I am going to
lose more than I can win." Unfortunately, these people fail to recognize
that it is impossible to win the game if they're not in the game.
The third method for developing an attitude or life expectation is to
make the conscious decision to change how you think and feel. Once the
decision has been made, it is impossible to ever go back. As Wayne Dyer,
the author of the best selling book The Erroneous Zones, puts it, "It's
like opening a door, walking through the door and having it slam shut
behind you. There is no way back once you've walked through." Although,
it takes time and effort to muster the necessary belief to make great
changes; those changes begin with a
decision. Every person who has ever read Think and Grow Rich by Napolean
Hill, The Magic of Thinking Big by David Schwartz, The Power of Positive
Thinking by Norman Vincent Peale or any of numerous success building books
has made a conscious decision to change his or her attitudes and
expectations of life. Once the decision is made, there can be no going back
to the old ways. When ignored, the desire for personal success and
happiness becomes a small infection in the heart which continues to tear
away at any spirit of failure little-by-little until a person can no longer
stand to be one of masses. He or she must become unique, an inspiration
unto herself or himself; seeking out and experiencing fulfillment and
satisfaction in every area of life, for without these things - life loses
its meaning.
Return to the worksheet and write down how you acquired the attitudes
represented in your responses. If these thoughts and feelings were learned
from other people, write down the names of the people. If from experiences,
outline the experience briefly. If from conscious choice, try to recall
and summarize the events that prompted the change in attitude.
What You Expect Is What You Get
Recently I heard an acquaintance say, "Just when I didn't think things
could get any worse, one more thing went wrong. I really didn't think
anything else could happen." My observation would be that a great many
things could still "go wrong." This person wasn't expecting anything
different. He was content hoping nothing would happen. As he was not
expecting changes for the better, his attitudes produced nothing but
changes for the worse. Conversely, Jim Cathcart and Dottie Walters both
decided to expect the best.
Most of the attitudes which we have about life, relationships, careers
and money have been with us for many years. In fact, thinking about
changing attitudes and doing it are two very different things. The minute
a person attempts to alter this mental and emotional foundation, he or she
will experience what psychologists call "cognitive dissonance." When
people believe certain conditions are "the way life is," to begin believing
otherwise creates uncomfortable feelings. For most, the initial response
is one of, "I can't. Life just doesn't work this way. People are where
they are for a reason." In short, people begin to rationalize that
changing attitudes and life is impossible or not meant to be.
It is meant to be. You are meant to have everything which life has to
offer. If you didn't believe that, you wouldn't be reading this. Once you
believe you can improve self-esteem, you can. Once you believe you can
control your money, you can. Once you believe you can reach your goals,
you can. But without an "I can" attitude first, none of this is possible.
As an analogy, in order to build the foundation of a house, it is
necessary to have a design, the right tools and materials. Who is the
architect of your new attitudes? You are, and it's time to design a life
foundation to your unique specifications.
All of us experience life in many different ways not just financially
or in terms of a career. We experience physical health, relationships and
families, mental development, and spiritual beliefs. Each of these things
has an influence over how we perceive life. Worksheet No. 1 covered where
you are now. Worksheet No. 2 will be your design for everyday from this
point forward. Creating new attitudes can be likened to a high jump bar.
For these new expectations to become part of you, it is important that the
sights not initially be set too low or too high. It's important to believe
in the new attitudes and to believe in their realization. This helps
reduce the cognitive dissonance. Once strong expectations become a way of
life, you can raise the bar again and again.
ATTITUDES WORKSHEET NO. 2
As you answer each of the questions below, stop for a few moments and
do your best to picture your thoughts. Make sure that you can see these
conditions or situations as real.
1. Mental Development: A person can become educated in different ways,
through reading books, taking correspondence courses, traditional college
classes, listening to audio cassette tapes and so on.
"I would feel as if I were knowledgeable if I knew the following
things:"
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
2. Spiritual Belief: What a person believes about the nature of the
universe, God and religion is subjective. Above all else, it should be
something in which you have faith.
"I would believe myself to be a spiritual person if I. . ."
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
3. Physical Health: Whenever people are concerned about their physical
well-being, it is difficult to support positive attitudes in other areas.
"I would believe I was healthy if. . ."
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
4. Families and Relationships:
"I would believe my family or relationships were nearly perfect if. . .
"
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
5. Career: Without thinking of a specific job title, concentrate on work
related tasks which give you personal satisfaction. For me, some of the
elements are communicating both in the written and vocal genres, using a
computer in my work, sharing ideas for better living, marketing, and
creativity.
"The perfect work situation for me would include. . ."
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
6. Finances: This is perhaps the most difficult area in which to change
an attitude. There are two distinct sides to this, the amount you earn and
the amount you spend. And both sides must be represented in your attitude.
"I believe I can earn $__________ per year/month/week. With those
earnings, I could do the following:"
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
You now have a blueprint for your new attitudes, and know what you
would like to think and feel about life. Concrete and cement are the
materials of a building's foundation, the material for turning these ideas
into attitudes is the mind.
The tools you use are up to you. To continue with the analogy of the
building, to pour the cement, you could use a portable cement mixer, bring
in a cement truck, or both. The truck to fill the forms; the portable
mixer and wheelbarrow for detail work. The tools you use here will
determine how fast and how well the job can be done. Use the tools which
work best for you, as many as you can. And, if you think of techniques
other than those suggested, then by all means adapt them. By the way, any
poor expectations should start to fade as positive, optimistic attitudes
begin to take shape and form.
Ever since Think and Grow Rich was published, constructive self-talk
(affirmation) and creative imagery (visualization) have been recommended
for helping people to experience a new sense of possibility in themselves.
Unfortunately, there are people and organizations who have made these
exercises into more than mere tools for self-expression, personal growth
and realization, as if they were magic wands for changing our lives and the
lives of others. The truth is that creative imagery and constructive self-
talk are nothing more than a statement like, "I can see myself. . ." When
using creative imagery, people begin to deliberately design pictures of
where they want life to take them, and then view those pictures at specific
times when the mind is receptive. To use this method for building new
attitudes, mentally picture sequences of events which support what you will
gain from expecting the best. Perhaps you can see your family enjoying more
quality time together by imagining various activities which everyone would
enjoy. Maybe you can see co-workers acting in concert rather than as
individuals, working together as a team. Possibly, you may see yourself
with 10% more money than you've ever had before, with a new car, home, or
furniture, taking a fun-filled vacation, or starting your own business.
The next step to using creative imagery involves the right environment.
Although many people recommend imaging first thing in the morning or right
before falling asleep, I've found that anytime of day will work provided
there are no interruptions. My preference is during working hours whenever
I need a break or in the evenings while relaxing. The time is not as
important as the setting.
As well, by speaking pre-determined positive thoughts over and over, a
person can make these powerful ideas a part of her or his everyday thinking.
This is called constructive self-talk. The thoughts can be one or two
sentences long or entire paragraphs. The choice is yours. The thoughts
should say things which are relevant to your new attitudes. If you would
like to improve the levels of communication at work, "I am able to
communicate with everyone effectively," would be good. If you would like
to improve your personal relationships, "I see __the person's name__ as I
saw him/her when we were first dating and feel those same attractions
again." If you would like to improve your health, "I am doing the things
necessary to live a healthy and happy life." These three examples are
brief statements which, when read twice each day, will begin to take hold
in your mind, creating changes in your behavior. I recommend taping your
self-talk statements to the bathroom mirror and reading them aloud as
you're getting ready for work in the morning and again while preparing to
retire at night. Two excellent books on creative imagery and constructive
self-talk are, In The Mind's Eye by Arnold Lazarus, Ph.D. and You Can Heal
Your Life by Louise L. Hay.
A third method for reinforcing positive expectations is by continually
exposing yourself to positive ideas through audio cassette tape programs.
There are numerous publishers of single audio cassette tapes and full
length 6
to 18 tape programs: Nightingale-Conant, Sybervision, and many others.
My personal choice is Nightingale-Conant. Their catalog is very extensive
(over 100 titles) with a wide range of topics. The price of most 6-tape
programs is $55. One way to get extra value from your investment is to
form a group of three to five people. Each member of the group invests in
a new program every two or three months. Then, share the programs with
each other. A terrific group exercise is to talk about what you each
learned from a program or cassette tape and how you can apply the ideas.
This can be a great source of good ideas and practical feedback. In any
event, the idea is to listen to something positive almost everyday for 30
to 60 minutes.
A fourth way to build a more hopeful outlook on life is through
"association". By associating with people who are doing what you want to
do, you begin to develop new expectations from the attitudes of others.
Become acquainted with people who are successful, who earn the kind of
money you believe you can and should earn. As a member of Toastmasters
International, I associate with people whose common goal is to develop the
ability to speak in public. As a member of the National Speakers
Association, I spend time with other professional speakers further
developing my marketing and presentation skills. The use of this tool must
be a two-way street. It's not just a matter of sitting and taking things
in, we have to contribute as well. As is always the case, we can only get
out of something what we put into something.
The fifth tool is choosing a role model, a person you would like to
emulate. Should you decide to use this particular method, select your role
model with care and only after a great deal of consideration. Make very
sure the person is someone you respect in many ways; a leader in his or her
profession, a person of good character, someone respected and admired by
others. In essence, it should be someone that you can look up to and say,
"I
would like to be just like. . ." This provides a very concrete picture of
who you would like to become.
The final tool. . . HALT! There are five things represented by the
word HALT which can cause setbacks in building and maintaining positive
expectations. The letters stand for the words: Hungry, Angry, Lonely, and
Tired. Whenever a person becomes too hungry, too angry, too lonely or too
tired, positive attitudes begin to deteriorate. The fifth thing is also
represented by the "H". It is the word harassed. Remember that you can
choose how to react to harassment and problems. It may be difficult but
try to think through the situation rather than emotionalize about it. By
thinking your way through it, the situation won't seem quite so
overwhelming. In a later section, I will cover the skills of problem
solving. The key is found in thinking through a problem rather than
getting wrapped up in the feelings and emotional responses. For now,
anytime you feel your new attitudes slipping, ask yourself, "Am I too
hungry, too angry, too lonely, too tired or feeling harassed?" The answer
more often than not will be yes. And for some reason, once you know the
answer, things begin to return to normal.
Breaking Through The Attitude Boundary
The design is ready, the tools have been selected, and the material is
in place. All that is left is the labor. Realize that building these new
attitudes can take a few weeks or more depending on how high the sights are
set, how well ingrained the current beliefs are, and how often you're
willing to practice. The more you practice and ignore that little inner
voice which says, "It's not going to work," the more quickly the changes
will take place.
To help you begin this amazing journey, here is one final worksheet.
To use this action step, choose one new or different expectation for each
area of your life, something you can begin to believe and feel right now,
today. The intention is to provide you with a starting point, a tangible
beginning. It's important for you to succeed at this. Be certain that
these first choices are believable because this will form the first layer
of concrete in your attitude foundation.
ATTITUDES WORKSHEET NO. 3
Before completing the following sentences, think of one small change
you could make in terms of your expectations in each area of your life.
1. Mental Development:
One thing I would like to begin to learn to do is. . .
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
2. Spiritual Belief:
In terms of my spiritual life, I would like to experience more. . .
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
3. Physical Health:
To improve my physical well-being, I can. . .
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
4. Families and Relationships:
As a family or couple, one thing which would bring us closer together
is:
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
5. Career:
In my job, I can expect. . .
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
6. Finances:
To feel as if I have more control over my finances, I will. . .
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
Here are some ideas for completing these sentences. Knowledge truly
is power. Learning new things, however, should never be boring. When
people want to learn something new, as opposed to being forced to learn
something new, the learning process tends to feel more like play than work.
Think of something which you would like to learn about or study over the
next 30 days. It may involve nothing more than investing a little money
and time in a book or audio cassette tape and studying the material for
four weeks. At the end of that time, you will have learned something new.
That is only the beginning.
As mentioned, spiritual expression is a very personal thing. If you
attend church regularly, one way to further develop yourself spiritually is
to begin to apply the message in each Sunday's sermon directly to your
experiences. Or, you might choose to read a book on various spiritual
beliefs or philosophies, one section at a time, making notes about how the
ideas can work for you.
To improve your physical health, perhaps you could begin walking every
other day or modify your diet. Or, you could begin to appreciate your body
more by spending 15 seconds in front of the mirror saying, "I like how I
look," (whether you believe it right now or not). You may find your health,
weight, nearly everything responding in very positive ways.
Families and relationships are an essential part of our lives. Taking
a little time out of each week to be together as a family or couple,
spending quality time with each other, helps generate positive feelings,
healthy communication and enjoyable experiences. Perhaps you could take in
a movie, go out to dinner, or get a baby-sitter and after a luxurious meal,
stay overnight in a hotel. The possibilities are nearly endless. Most of
all, begin to appreciate and be grateful for the significant people in your
life. You can do this by remembering how you felt when you and your spouse
were dating, how you felt the day your child was born, how you felt when
your family attended your high school graduation or other significant
moments in your life.
All too often, a job becomes nothing more than a way to keep the bills
paid. Yet, you must have had some reason for choosing that particular line
of work. By focusing on the tasks you enjoy, and developing methods for
further developing those tasks, a job can quickly become more of a career
and less of a grind. If you would like to build a new career, then begin
exploring the steps which lead to making a move in the right direction.
A person can take charge of his or her money with some practical
effort. A later section concentrates solely on finances. The key is a
written-down budget. Without a budget, a financial plan, your money is
controlling you. Once you know where the money is going and begin to decide
where and how it will go, you take control of it.
Building The Foundation
Everything else in the Breaking Through Life's Boundaries program is
based on "Attitude." Some of the other steps include Beliefs, The Three
Selves (Self Image, Self Concept, Self Esteem), Personal Relationships,
Solving Life's Problems, Personal Finances and much more. With an "I can
change my life" attitude, it is possible to alter the belief system,
improve self-esteem, or begin to solve the challenges which confront us.
Our lives are very much like building a house. We were each given a
lot, a piece of property, at birth. How well we take care of that lot (the
physical, mental and emotional being) will affect the value of the property
- our lives. Good landscaping, keeping the lawn watered and mowed, putting
in colorful flower beds, green shrubs and trees all enhance the value of
the property. Eating well, exercise and regular check-ups maintain the
physical body. Filling our lives with people who love and support us
maintains and strengthens us emotionally. Being selective about what we
watch on TV, what we read, what we listen to, supports the mental self.
These things have a great deal to do with the value of our lives.
The strength and design of the foundation, attitudes, and expectations,
may well determine how well and how long the house stands. Therefore,
build your attitudes with ideas that support a successful and valuable life
for the all the rest of your days.
ADDITIONAL FEATURED ESSAYS
I Stand Here Ironing
"", by Tillie Olsen is a short story portraying the life and regret of a young mother struggling to raise her
The Great Gatsby: The Destructive Effects Of Wealth
" Whenever you fell like criticizing anyone, just remember that all the people in this world haven't had all the advanta
Work
During the birth of this country, Puritans had to hard to ensure the success of the new state. In order to make more app
The Hollow Men
The Theme of Emptiness in “” “,” a poem written by T.S. Eliot shows the narrators disgust and his faithless attitude tow
A Complete Turnaround
Sharon Old’s poem, “The Victims,” deals with an underlying theme of abuse. Old’s illustrates this theme through the tone
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