You can win | Page 6

like an absence of ill health does not equal good health, an absence of negativity
alone does not make a person positive.
People with positive attitudes have certain personality traits that are easy to recognize.
They are caring, confident, patient, and humble. They have high expectations of
themselves and others. They anticipate positive outcomes. A person with a positive
attitude is like a fruit of all seasons. He is always welcome.

THE BENEFITS OF A POSITIVE ATTITUDE

These are many and easy to see. But what is easy to see is also easy to miss. To
mention a few, a positive attitude

¨ increases productivity
¨ fosters teamwork
¨ solves problems
¨ improves quality
¨ makes for congenial atmosphere
¨ breeds loyalty
¨ increases profits
¨ fosters better relationships with employers, employees, and customers
¨ reduces stress
¨ helps a person become a contributing member of society and an asset to their
country
¨ makes for a pleasing personality

THE CONSEQUENCES OF A NEGATIVE ATTITUDE

Our life is an obstacle course and we become our own biggest obstacle by having a
negative attitude. People with a negative attitude have a hard time keeping friendships,
jobs, marriage and relationships. Their attitude leads to

¨ bitterness
¨ resentment
¨ a purposeless life
¨ ill health
¨ high stress level for themselves and others

They create a negative environment at home and work and become a liability to society.
They also pass on their negative behavior to others around them and to future
generations.

WHEN WE BECOME AWARE OF OUR NEGATIVE ATTITUDE, WHY DON'T WE
CHANGE?

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Human nature generally resists change. Change is uncomfortable. Regardless of its
positive or negative effect, change can be stressful. Sometimes we get so comfortable
with our negativity that even when the change is for the positive, we don't want to accept
it. We stay with the negative.
Charles Dickens wrote about a prisoner who stayed for many years in a dungeon. After
serving his sentence, he got his freedom. He was brought out from his cell into the bright
daylight of the open world. This man looked all around and after a few moments was so
uncomfortable with his newly acquired freedom that he asked to be brought back to his
cell into confinement. To him, the dungeon, the chains and the darkness were more
secure and comfortable than accepting the change of freedom and the open world.

STEPS TO BUILDING A POSITIVE ATTITUDE

During childhood, we form attitudes that last a lifetime. Undoubtedly, it would be a lot easier and better to have acquired a positive attitude during our formative years. Does
that mean if we acquire a negative attitude, whether by design or by default, we are stuck
with it? Of course not. Can we change? Yes. Is it easy? Absolutely not.
How do you build and maintain a positive attitude?

¨ Become aware of the principles that build a positive attitude
¨ Desire to be positive
¨ Cultivate the discipline and dedication to practice those principles

As adults, regardless of our environment, education and experience, who is responsible
for our attitude?
We are. We have to accept responsibility some time in our lives. We blame everyone and
everything but ourselves. It is up to us to choose our attitude every morning. As adults,
we need to accept responsibility for our behavior and actions.
People with negative attitudes will blame the whole world, their parents, teachers,
spouse, the economy and the government for their failures.
You have to get away from the past. Dust yourself off, get back into the mainstream. Put
your dreams together and move forward. Thinking of the positive things that are true,
honest and good, will put us in a positive state of mind.
If we want to build and maintain a positive attitude, we need to consciously practice the
following steps:

Step 1: Change Focus, Look for the Positive

We need to become good finders. We need to focus on the positive in life. Let's start
looking for what is right in a person or situation instead of looking for what is wrong. Because of our conditioning, we are so attuned to finding fault and looking for what is
wrong that we forget to see the positive picture.
Even in paradise, fault finders will find faults. Most people find what they are looking for.
If they are looking for friendship, happiness and the positive, that is what they get. If they
are looking for fights or indifference, then that is what they get. Caution looking for the
positive does not mean overlooking faults.

LOOKING FOR THE GOLD

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