How To Keep Your Attitude From Erupting Into A Bad Attitude

Steven Cribbs    Life    

Your attitude affects everything you do and everything you experience – from work to play, from friendships to marriage and even to (or especially to) parenting.  Positive attitudes help make boring days fun and difficult tasks rewarding; while bad attitudes can destroy everything in your path.

We know all of this; but, it is still so easy to get stuck in a bad mood, to respond to situations in anger (like I did once) and even to disconnect from everyone and everything.  And, just when we are having our own little self-pity party, we have the privilege of experiencing everyone else reflecting our attitude back toward us.

So, how do we keep the awesome good attitude and fend off the evil bad attitude?

1. Identify your stressors.

Know what things put you on edge and make you more susceptible to a bad attitude and bad responses to other people.

 2. Be aware of the time.

Know when your stressors are most likely to occur and plan accordingly.

3. Plan responses for your stressors.

Having a plan for what to do when stressors occur.  Develop responses that can help to reduce the stress, defuse the situation, and help you to avoid over-reacting.

4. Get some sleep.

We are more susceptible to stressors when we are tired.  be intentional about getting enough sleep.  And, when you don’t get enough sleep, be prepared to work extra hard to maintain your attitude.

5. Maintain margins.  Learn to say no.

Our culture entices us to live lives that are stretched too thin and in too many directions.  When there is no room for errors and the unpredictable occasions of life, we can implode…or explode all over those around us.  Learn to say no to enough things in life so that there is enough room for life to happen.

6. Take time off.

Okay, so you can’t always take a break from life – it’s not like you can take a day every week away from your family, work, and the world around you.  But, you can find a few minutes or a couple of hours (on a regular basis) where you can turn down the volume of life and engage in an activity that refreshes and reenergizes you.  Read a book, listen to music, take a walk, work in the yard, bake cookies, create something…do something that you love to do.  Spend time with Jesus.

7. Manage your influencers.

As much as our attitudes impact others, we are also influenced by the people and media (e.g. books, music, movies, television, etc.) that we surround ourselves with.

I have heard it said that “the books you read and the people you surround yourself with will affect who you become in five years.”  It’s true.  And, it is important to remember that this is an ongoing molding process that touches every part of your life and is affected by everything you let into your life.

Be intentional.  Choose wisely.  Evaluate often.  Always take the high road.

Question: Has a bad attitude ever got the best of you? What do you do to keep a good attitude…especially when you want to have a bad attitude?  You can click here to leave a comment.

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