Attitude means so much. We have so many thoughts during the day and many of them can tend to be critical and negative. We need that reminder that we CAN change those thought patterns.
Like anything worthwhile, it takes work. Some of us have to work harder than others because of our background or our temperament but what a great victory when we have overcome!!!
I remember reading An Easy Way to Become a Saint by Father Paul O’Sullivan. He talked about the great efficacy of ejaculations. He said that we can climb the ladder of sanctity by just using those short little prayers called ejaculations, or just by lifting our hearts to God during the day amidst the hub-bub of our busy lives!
Let’s not let the days slip by without working on that very important aspect of our lives, our attitude! Make the effort to think happy, praise-worthy thoughts! Slowly we can change our mindsets into something beautiful!!
The following is taken from Attitudes that Attract Success by Wayne Cordeiro. In it he talks about two people who had attitudes that helped them succeed when the odds were against them! He talks about their incredible accomplishments and what they did for humanity.
I marvel at the accomplishment of a mother dedicated to her family in this day and age. It is greater than any accomplishment of any inventor….because it involves souls.
The more we are dedicated to this wonderful vocation of wife and mother, the happier we will become. And God will see our accomplishments, though the world may think our lives are humdrum. We know better and feel sorry for their narrow outlook on life !
Remember, as mothers and wives, our attitude sets the tone of our home!
From Attitudes that Attract Success:
LEARN FROM THE PROFILES OF TWO HEROES
People often ask me who my heroes are. One is Wendy Stoker. Wendy attended a Midwest high school and, in her final year, finished just 3.5 points behind first place in girls’ diving.
She went to an East Coast college, where she took a full load of classes, was on the bowling team, participated in student government and continued her diving.
But what I find most spectacular about this young woman is her typing skill. As a college freshman she typed at a “whizzing”—well, sort of—40 words per minute.
Did I forget to mention that Wendy Stoker was born without arms? She types 40 words per minute with her toes.
What is it that causes a person to possess such determination, such courage, such an indomitable spirit?
Before I discuss that, let me share with you about another of my heroes.
Thomas Alva Edison invented the incandescent lightbulb, the movie camera and the batteries that start our cars.
Toward the autumn years of his life, he worked in a modest building that resembled a barn. There, with his son, Edison would often remain late into the night, laboring to perfect his inventions.
One evening, in an attempt to improve the retention of a battery’s charge, an unfortunate combination of chemicals caused his latest experiment to burst into flames.
The fire quickly spread through the old wooden structure, and what began as a minor chemical combustion exploded into a towering inferno.
Edison’s son quickly evacuated the building. Using his smock to shield him from the heat of the flames, he desperately called for his father, fearing Edison might still be in the barn trying to save his precious lifework.
Running frantically, the young man circled the barn, hoping his father had escaped through another exit. On his second time around the building, he turned a corner and, to his great relief, there stood his legendary father.
Edison’s hands were buried deep in his soot-speckled smock, his white hair blackened with ash. He was watching intently as flames devoured the structure.
“Father!” cried Edison’s son. “I was afraid you were still inside!”
Without taking his eyes off the flames, Edison said, with a sense of urgency, “Son, go get your mother!”
“Why, Dad?”
With a twinkle in his eyes his father replied, “Because your mother comes from a small town and she’s never seen a fire like this before!”
When the flames had finished their work, leaving only ash and a twisted frame, Edison turned to his son. “You know anyone who has a tractor?”
“Yes, Dad, but why?” Edison answered,
“Because it’s time to rebuild, Boy. It’s time to rebuild.”
Wendy Stoker and Thomas Edison. What great models for each of us! But what was it that kept them going, though the odds were stacked against them? What was the fuel that compelled them to move beyond their setbacks?
In heroes well known or unsung, you’ll find one common thread, one common denominator. In every case, it is attitude! That’s right. Attitude.
PEOPLE WHO ARE EFFECTIVE HAVE USED SETBACKS AS STEPPING-STONES; WHEREAS INEFFECTIVE PEOPLE HAVE USED THEM AS EXCUSES. Your attitude is more important than you will ever realize. It’s the most important thing about you—more important than your education, your past, your looks or your money. Your attitude will help you make friends or cause you to make enemies. It will attract people to you or repel them.
Your attitude is even more important than your skills in determining your ability to succeed.
Your attitude is one of your most important assets. What is important is not the current state of your family, your problems, who your boss is or how much money you make. What is important is your attitude toward family, toward problems, toward authority and toward money.
Attitude makes all the difference in the world! You’ll find that both effective and ineffective people have experienced setbacks.
However, the people who are effective have used those setbacks as stepping-stones, whereas ineffective people have used them as excuses.
I am absolutely convinced of the truth behind the maxim, “Ten percent of life is made up of what happens to you—the other 90 percent is how you respond to what happens to you.” That’s where character is built. That’s where personality is formed. That’s where attitude is expressed.
Find two people who attended the same schools, had the same teachers, shop at the same stores, live in the same city and even attend the same church. One struggles and the other is successful. Why? Attitude.
Evaluating My Attitude
1. Am I a lifelong learner? Or have I allowed my position in life to determine that I no longer need to learn?
a. Do I value learning?
b. Am I teachable? Humble?
2. What is my attitude toward problems, authority, family and money?
a. How are my personal relationships with family, friends, coworkers and neighbors?
b. If others were to rank my personality, would they say that I leave a bad odor in my wake or do I leave a beautiful fragrance for others to enjoy?
3. Generally, how do I respond to what happens to me? With worry or calm? With a good attitude or a bad attitude?
a. Do I view setbacks as stepping-stones or excuses?
b. How do I react when the odds are against me?
c. How would I rate myself in stress/worry?
d. Do I suffer from ailments (e.g., stomach upset, headaches, tiredness or broken relationships) that indicate critical attitude, stress or worry?
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