ATTITUDE!

Charles Swindoll wrote a remarkable article some time ago titled Attitude.' Swindoll wrote: “The longer I live, the more I realize the impact of attitude on my life.  It is more important than the past, than education, than money, than circumstances, than failures, than successes, than what other people think or say or do.  It is more important than appearance, giftedness or skill.  It will make or break a company, a church, a home.”

“The remarkable thing is we have a choice everyday regarding the attitude we embrace for that day.  We cannot change the past, we cannot change for the fact that people will act in a certain way. We cannot change the inevitable. The only thing we can do is play on the one string we have, and that is our attitude... I am convinced that life is 10% what happens to me and 90% how I react to it.”

I think Swindoll was very accurate in his belief.

A very wise person once told me that no matter what has happened in your past, each morning when you arise from your slumber, you have an opportunity to start life all over again.

Yesterday is gone forever and you cannot change it no matter how much you would like to. Tomorrow depends on what you do today for it is yet to come and - like a sculptor, you have the opportunity to shape tomorrow into whatever you want it to be.

From the moment you awaken, you can be a slave to the events of the past, or you can cast off the chains of yesterday and boldly shout out, "Today, I will become a new person!"

What better way to start a new day, a new life, A NEW YEAR, than to sever yourself forever from old hatreds, from bad habits, from licentious thoughts, from greed, avarice, pride, anger, even bitterness and depression.

My mother once told me; "Son, if you can do a good deed each day, even if that good deed is as simple as a warm smile, by the time you stand before the book of judgment, you will have tipped the scales in your favor."

As I wrote in a previous item, each morning when I wake up, I look into the mirror and tell myself, "Self, this will be a great day."

I make my choice right then and there. No matter what happens during that day, no matter if I run into dozens of people with poor attitudes, hundreds of people with personal problems they lay out for all to see, thousands of situations which may challenge the patience of an angel, I try 100% to have a nice day, put on a happy face, and whistle a happy tune.

"Self, this will be a great New Year!"

Of course, no day is always perfect.  There are times when unforeseen events drag us all down to the depths of personal despair. The important thing is to wake up and look back into that mirror as soon as possible.

It is written; That thing that has been is that which will be, and that which is done is that which will be done, and there is no new thing under the sun.

See “The power of positive thinking.”