"Life is lived forward, but understood backward. It is not until we are down the road and we stand on the mountain looking back through the valley that we can appreciate the terrain God has allowed us to scale.” Jill Savage

Wednesday, June 08, 2011

WORDSS HURT - THE VALUE OF A POSITIVE ATTITUDE

WORDS HURT



January 20, 2009 (okay this is a couple years old - but it's still true today).

The Value of a Positive Attitude
by Charles R. Swindoll

Philippians 2:3-5

Several years ago I determined to deal with my attitude. I found myself getting pretty testy, even argumentative at times. Our children were young and often had needs that required my time and attention. More often than I'd like to admit, that irritated me---to the point where my wife said I needed to think about how negative I was becoming, and then I needed to do something about it!

At first, like most husbands would, I resisted her words, but after giving them further thought, I realized that what she was observing was painfully true. To use a popular expression, I was in need of a serious attitude adjustment! I knew that if some of my emotional outbursts didn't stop, I'd not only alienate all four of my children, I would become a lonely, bitter, and crotchety old man. The realization of all that led me to come to terms with my negative attitude.

I am so grateful I did! Among other things, it led me to sit down and write out a carefully worded statement on the importance of choosing the right attitude every single day. I had no idea how God would use it in the lives of people around the world. I've come across it in the most amazing places---and I've had friends tell me of their seeing it in such places as restaurant menus and hanging on walls in machine shops and hearing it quoted in sales conferences, memorized by cadets preparing to be highway patrolmen, and learned by students in school. Here it is:

“Attitudes”

Words can never adequately convey the incredible impact of our attitude toward life. The longer I live the more convinced I become that life is 10 percent what happens to us and 90 percent how we respond to it.

I believe the single most significant decision I can make on a day-to-day basis is my choice of attitude. It is more important than my past, my education, my bankroll, my successes or failures, fame or pain, what other people think of me or say about me, my circumstances, or my position. Attitude keeps me going or cripples my progress. It alone fuels my fire or assaults my hope. When my attitudes are right, there's no barrier too high, no valley too deep, no dream too extreme, no challenge too great for me.

I share this with you in hopes that it will help you as much as it has helped so many others, including me. Thankfully, I'm a different man today because I came to terms with my attitude a number of years ago. And because I did, as I grow older, I've became a lot easier to live with. Just ask my wife . . . and our kids . . . and their kids!

Copyright © 2006 by Charles R. Swindoll, Inc. All rights reserved worldwide.

Have you 'come to terms with your attitude'? I believe you have, but do you know anyone who has not? How does it feel to be around them? What do you think about them? Do they look anything like this?



We cannot hold a torch to light another persons path without brightening our own.
- Ben Sweetland

Audrey Hepburn's Beauty Tips

For attractive lips, speak words of kindness.

For lovely eyes, seek out the good in people.

For a slim figure, share your food with the hungry.

For beautiful hair, let a child run his or her fingers through it once a day.

For poise, walk with the knowledge you'll never walk alone.

People, even more than things, have to be restored, renewed, revived, reclaimed, and redeemed; Never throw out anybody.

Remember, If you ever need a helping hand, you'll find one at the end of your arm.

As you grow older, you will discover that you have two hands, one for helping yourself, the other for helping others.

The beauty of a woman is not in the clothes she wears, the figure that she carries, or the way she combs her hair. The beauty of a woman must be seen from in her eyes, because that is the doorway to her heart, the place where love resides.

The beauty of a woman is not in a facial mole, but true beauty in a woman is reflected in her soul. It is the caring that she lovingly gives, the passion that she shows, and the beauty of a woman with passing years only grows!

Sam Levenson (Posted October 1999)

Contrary to what some may think, Audrey Hepburn did not write this beautiful poem, Sam Levenson did. Levenson wrote "Time Tested Beauty Tips" for his grandchild, and it just so happened to be one of Audrey's favorite poems. She read it to her children on the very last Christmas Eve she spent with us here on Earth.

Special thanks to Nicholas Darrell for author information.

It's a choice - ugly or pretty?

x_5c59c1d

26 comments:

Susan said...

Hi Sandie! It's true. We may not have a choice as to what happens to us, but we DO have a choice of how to respond. Our attitudes can make us or break us. That is really, really true. Take care and have a good day today! Susan

Remington said...

That is so true. Great post!

betty said...

again, I just love your signature line! so cute!! thanks for sharing this today, Sandie; today I'm in need of a bit of an attitude adjustment so I need to make the right choice with it; I think I may print this out and keep this close to me today!

It truly is a choice on how we respond to things, isn't it?

betty

The Boston Lady said...

All good advice and so true. I have found the best way to change my bad attitude is to go out and do something for someone else.

Okay, how do you get those signatures at the bottom?!?!? Ann

ain't for city gals said...

I hope I always choose pretty...but it has been a long road...

Bev said...

Great Post! How true...if only this human flesh would stay out of our way!!

Furry Bottoms said...

Whoever came up with that picture of the fist coming out of the yelling man's mouth and hitting the woman in the face... WOW. Just WOW. So true.

Anonymous said...

PRETTY!

We choose our attitude every minute of the day. It is our reaction to the things around us. I choose positive....always!

MadSnapper said...

i can always use a slap upside the my negative head and a very much needed attitude adjustment. all of this is true and i know it, but still the Tude comes out sometimes. my aggravation levels get out of control also.

Beansieleigh said...

Oh my gosh, I don't want to look like that woman in the second photo down!! I better keep my attitude in check!!! Great post! (even printed some of it, to hang in prominent spot, so that I don't forget!).. Thanks, and have a great day! Keep cool! ~tina

Ginny Hartzler said...

Really good post!!!! I always thought there was something fishy about the Audrey Hepburn thing, now you have found out for us!!

Kim@stuffcould.... said...

We do have to make a choice with our attitudes, I reckon....

Doris Sturm said...

I like Audry's beauty tips...I can't afford a face lift, so I just have to keep smiling because a smiling face, be it ever so wrinkled, is much more radiant than a perfectly smooth stern or frowning face....

I do understand why some people (old ones especially) feel tired and beat up by life, but if you keep your attitude in check and focus on what's right instead of what's wrong, smiling would not be such an effort. I personally love to laugh...it's the best medicine.

Linda @ A La Carte said...

I am trying to make my words positive and happy!

Southhamsdarling said...

Hi Chatty. What a brilliant post today. So true, and a reminder to all of us that it IS our attitude to what life throws at us that is so important. Remember, "we are all in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the stars!" (Oscar Wilde).

Anonymous said...

I love this post, great words and they're so very true.

The best way is to stay positive at "all" times, difficult sometimes though.

Eva

Melanie said...

A positive attitude is so important, Sandie.
Your post reminds me of the quote by Abraham Lincoln that people are about as happy as they make up their minds to be.
I like the Time Tested Beauty Tips...so true! :)

Ann said...

My attitude has mellowed immensely over the years. I guess the older I got I realized all the things you have written here are true. And honestly there are better things I can do with my time than getting all crazy.
Yes I do know someone who looks like that old woman. When he gets that way I just walk away

Jeanie said...

I have the "attitudes" quote posted on my desk at work. It is always a good reminder.

Liz Mays said...

Our attitude affects everything, and sometimes when I just make myself smile out of the blue, it's an instant pick-me-up. (I just don't do that out in public where people may think I'm crazy.)

Linda O'Connell said...

HI Sandie,
I love these words of wisdom. Thank you for the reminders.

Debbie said...

I love Swindoll anyway, and that piece is particularly wonderful.

And right now, I am doing some serious thinking about my attitude.

Maria@BubblegumandDuctTape said...

great post Sandie, yes attitude is everything. We can either live happy healthy lives where we treat everyone with respect or be dark and dreary and drive everyone away.

Stella said...

So true but often hard to remember. Thanks for the reminder. Have a good day.

Anonymous said...

OMGoodness!...once again I would like to borrow this poem!...I'm tore down!
But in a good way!
hugs friend!
~JO
Lazyonloblolly

Sharon said...

OK, first of all - that picture of the old woman is really creepy. I have a back story on it - I'll email it to you.

What you have said is so very true. It's all about attitude. And I've found that an attitude of gratitude usually starts me off on the right foot!

Beauty starts within the heart...

xoxo