Attitude Adjustment

I spent three weeks in February traveling – that’s a lot of travel and traveling the in colder months isn’t always my favorite. Yes, winter is coming to a close soon and I think many of us are ready for spring. Spring brings growth, renewal, warmth, and more. During these travels, I had the pleasure of facilitating my Star Achievement Series® Level II curriculum and one of my favorite topics: ATTITUDE!

You may already know attitude is one of my favorite topics. That’s why I was so pleased to share a new resource with you today to help you assess your own attitude.

First, there is an assessment in the Star Achievement Series® program and I’d like you to rate yourself. It’ simple. Do you agree or disagree with each statement?

My attitude is changeable. (Of course our attitudes are changeable. They are like the weather for many people. The good news is that as quick as you feel a negative attitude, you can change it to being positive.)

The quality of work I produce varies depending on my attitude. (Just think about how much better your output is at work when you have an upbeat attitude than when you feel frustrated, upset, or stressed. Attitude definitely impacts the quality of work you produce, therefore, your attitude is very important.)

I don’t need to do anything to keep myself upbeat. It will just happen. (That would be nice and many times it does just happen. The reality is that life happens and that can easily drag a person down. Plus we live in a negative society–just pick up the newspaper, listen to the news, listen to peers and their complaints, and more. Every day we hear of bad things happening. Our minds are like our bodies in that our mind needs nutrients. Our minds need to be fed positive information whether we read an uplifting quote, listen for good news from our peers, or listen to an inspirational CD. The list goes on. The idea is to feed your mind with something positive every day! You can’t wait until you are really down and out and then just pick up a book and expect your attitude to change instantly. The more positive you put in, the more positive you give out!)

My attitude needs to be handled gently. (Your attitude is like an egg. It is fragile and delicate. If you don’t take care of it, someone is sure to snatch it away from you or crush it.)

I have ultimate control of my attitude. (Maybe you are thinking, “I’d have a good attitude if my boss treated me better or if I would get that raise I’ve been waiting for.” Or, “If Joe would treat me nicer, I would be nicer.” No! The great news is you control your attitude. If you choose to be upset, fine. I’m not saying you have to walk around with a big grin on your face 24 hours a day. However, when you maintain a positive attitude, life is easier, you’re more creative, and your work day flows better.)

Next, the new resource I mentioned above. During a Pillar Huddle with the Office Dynamics team, we learned of a new resource that actually allows you to rate your attitude over the past 24 hours with a series of simple questions. The assessment gives you your positivity ration and allows you to return daily for a few weeks to track your progress as you get yourself on track. Our whole team did the assessment and all found our results interesting. I encourage you to do the same when you have a few minutes today. You can find this assessment at http://www.positivityratio.com/single.php

As we deal with this last bit of winter and prepare ourselves for Spring and sunnier days, let’s take control of our own attitudes and practice the 3:1 ratio that author, Dr. Barbara Frederickson speaks about in her Positivity Ration website.

“A positive outlook energizes, empowers, and actually strengthens you. Psychological studies have repeatedly proven its therapeutic force. According to research, this is the mindset of winners–optimists get paid more, are healthier, win more elections, live longer and . . . are better at adapting to change.” — Price Pritchett