How to Be More Positive -Why Attitude Matters

1. Pessimism

THE BIBLE SAYS:  "If you become discouraged in the day of distress, your strength will be meager." -Proverbs 24:10.

WHAT IT MEANS: Pessimism will sap you if the strength you need to improve your situation or to help you deal with it. 

EXAMPLE:  Juliza's childhood was anything but happy. Her father was an alcoholic, and her family was poor. They moved from place to place.At first, Juliza was pessimistic about her lot in life.  But that changed. What helped? "Even before my parents overcame their difficulties," Juliza says, "the Bible helped me to improve my outlook. And to this day, thoughts from the Bible keep my thinking from spiraling downward. Now, when people display traits I don't like, I try to understand why they behave the way they do." 

As Juliza learned, the Bible is a book of sound principles. It's advice can help you to cope with  negative circumstances.  For example, Ephesians 4:23 says:  "Continue to be made new in your dominant attitude." 

 2. FOCUS ON THE POSITIVE

THE BIBLE SAYS:  "All the days of the afflicted one are bad, but the one with a cheerful heart has a continual feast." -Proverbs 15:15. 

WHAT IT MEANS:  If you see everything negatively, you feel "afflicted " and ever day will appear "bad," or gloomy. But if you focus on positive things, you will have "a cheerful heart" and even feel joyful. The choice is yours. 

EXAMPLE:  After several surgeries to remove a brain tumor, Yanko had physical limitations that affected his movement and speech. Feeling that these would stop him from reaching his goals, Yanko was deep discouraged for years.  Then he changed. How? "Instead of focusing on my limitations," he says, "I learned to occupy my mind with encouraging subjects." 

One way Yanko does this is by reading from the Bible.  "This keeps my thoughts positive," he says, "I haven't totally put aside my long-terms goals, but I'm focusing on the smaller goals that I can reach now. When discouraging thoughts creep into my mind,I reflect on the many reasons i have to be happy."

Like Yanko, you can confront your pessimistic thoughts and replace them with something  positive if you dealing with negative circumstances-perhaps a health problem, as was the case with Yanko-ask yourself:  'Is the situation really hopeless? Have I reached a dead end, or is this merely a roadblock?'  Learn to keep negative thoughts out by concentrating on something productive.  

Next time: How to Be More Positive-Why Attitude Matters -3. DO THINGS FOR OTHERS.