Showing posts with label attitude. Show all posts
Showing posts with label attitude. Show all posts
Saturday, February 25, 2017
Worst Words Known To Man
I have been sharing a word with you each month that I thought could add value to your life. It occurred to me that there are also a few words that I wish people had never learned. So let me share a few of those with you today.
The first word is CONVENIENT. It means easy to reach and suited to one's comfort or need. First of all anything that is easy to reach or obtain is usually not worth anything. Second if you notice it is related to the word COMFORT or COMFORTABLE. Personally I think that the words CONVENIENT and COMFORTABLE are two that are hurting Americans the most right now. If you want to know what I mean then read my post called "Entitlement Attitude."
The next word is the word CAN'T. As I said in July's word of the Month post. This often is just a cover for other truths. The truth may be that we are embarrassed that we don't know how to do something. The truth may be that we are scared to try something new because we might look stupid. There are all kids of reasons why we say, ' I CAN'T." But more often than not, none of them are because we truly can not do something.. All that word does is hold us back from achieving our dreams!
Thursday, May 2, 2013
May Word of the Month: CONTROL
Control means to exercise authority or influence over. It's the power to manage, direct, or dominate. The only things you can control are your attitude and actions. You are the only one besides God, who created you, that has authority to direct your life. You can influence your circumstances merely by thinking about them differently. All you have to do is stay positive. However your quality of life will not change just because you dream of a better life or pray for one. God moves through us. Therefore we have to take action. Only then can prayer be answered. However action without prayer in usually dramatically less effective as well. Everyone knows a united team is stronger than any one man. Team up with God. Pray. Take action. Stay positive. Be persistent and keep an ear open. Sometimes God shouts, other times he whispers.
Saturday, July 9, 2011
Positively Present Quote
This is a quote from a blog I follow called Positively Present. The post is called "A Vacation State of Mind." This is the wisest thing I have heard said on a blog. The writer is about to take a vacation in England, a foreign country. "This vacation will be a test for me, I know. I will be out of my comfort zone. I will be in situations where I have very little control. But you know what I can be comfortable with and in control of? My state of mind. Today I'm choosing to let go -- to put worries away -- and embrace a vacation state of mind." She simply makes a choice...A wise man once told me that choosing how to think is as simple as looking left or looking right.
Whenever I worry about something I stop and ask myself a question. "Will it matter in 5 years?" If it won't matter then, it probably isn't worth all that mental energy. If that doesn't work then I ask myself, "What is the worst thing that could happen?" Then I answer the question. Let me give you an example. I sell really expensive stuff and lots of people have access to it. Co-workers are not always as honest as I am. So I do a daily inventory of the merchandise. If something was to go missing my boss says that will keep me from getting in trouble. If the owner decided they had to let someone go over stolen merchandise, they would either fire me or my boss. Which do you think is more likely? I could worry about things being stolen. I could worry about losing my job. Maybe something would be stolen and my boss would call me to the office. I could be biting my nails in fear that they would let me go. I could tell myself that in this recession I'll never get a new job. I could go in that office expecting to be let go. OR I could decide that even if I was let go, I am confident and capable of getting another job. I could decide that if I have to go on unemployment or move in with parents for a short time, I will find a job quickly. I could decide to expect to be thanked for my good record keeping. I could be told that is was that record keeping that allowed them to determine the shift on which the merchandise went missing and recover it. I could decide that I control my attitude and my actions!
Whenever I worry about something I stop and ask myself a question. "Will it matter in 5 years?" If it won't matter then, it probably isn't worth all that mental energy. If that doesn't work then I ask myself, "What is the worst thing that could happen?" Then I answer the question. Let me give you an example. I sell really expensive stuff and lots of people have access to it. Co-workers are not always as honest as I am. So I do a daily inventory of the merchandise. If something was to go missing my boss says that will keep me from getting in trouble. If the owner decided they had to let someone go over stolen merchandise, they would either fire me or my boss. Which do you think is more likely? I could worry about things being stolen. I could worry about losing my job. Maybe something would be stolen and my boss would call me to the office. I could be biting my nails in fear that they would let me go. I could tell myself that in this recession I'll never get a new job. I could go in that office expecting to be let go. OR I could decide that even if I was let go, I am confident and capable of getting another job. I could decide that if I have to go on unemployment or move in with parents for a short time, I will find a job quickly. I could decide to expect to be thanked for my good record keeping. I could be told that is was that record keeping that allowed them to determine the shift on which the merchandise went missing and recover it. I could decide that I control my attitude and my actions!
Saturday, May 14, 2011
Entitlement Attitude
It seems to me that there is a growing change of attitude in this nation. It used to be that the American way was to work hard and earn a living. People were proud of what they did. If it earned them material things, they treated those things with respect. For example, my grandfather worked for a radio station and was able to buy a pickup truck. He washed it all the time and always had the fluids checked and full. It was his baby! He was proud of the truck because he earned it. The nation's attitude is now one of expectation.
People think that they are supposed to have everything handed to them on a silver platter. For example, I work at a retail store. We sell food as well as many household items. I see people that are wearing really nice clothes pay for food with food stamps. Then I help them purchase a huge flat screen tv with cash. When I go help them load the tv in their car and they are driving a Lexus! Example number 2, I go help a lady in her 60's buy video games. As I ring up her items she says that she is buying this for a grandson that has a birthday. I say he must have been good to get 2 games. She says no that one grandson has a birthday but the other gets a game too. She buys both a gift so the one not having a birthday won't feel left out! I cannot wrap my head around this concept! When I was young I went to sibling and cousin birthday parties all the time. You knew the routine. The birthday kid got a gift and you were lucky if you got a piece of cake. That is normal. Example 3, I am sitting in the breakroom at work and a lady tells me that her kid is in middle school. The kid just tried out for baseball. He made it on the team and he is good but there is a problem. There is a boy on the team who stinks. He doesn't want to play but his parents make him. He is no good but the couch has to put him on the team. Naturally I ask why he has to put this boy on the team. The lady says that the couch has to put all the boys who try out on the team! I am dazed but I ask why. She says because they don't want to hurt any of the boys fragile self-esteem! Ok I thought the idea was for you to build the confidence of the boys that made it on the team. I thought that those who didn't were supposed to be aware they need to improve and be challenged to improve before the next tryouts! Example 4, The government issues bailouts to failing companies. I pull into my drive way and see my neighbors car. There is a decal on the rear windshield. It says, "Where's my bailout?" Example 5, I'm ringing up latin cd's for a latin man. His total is $20-30. He pulls out a wad of bills and pulls off a $100 bill. I say, "Wow! I wish I made that kind of money. What do you do?" He says he works construction. I ask if he is an engineer. He says no he puts on roofs. I laugh and ask if he needs help. He says, "You can't do it, you have to pay taxes." Last example, I have a display of movies out that are all $15. The price is made with these big numbers that slide into the sign. A customer takes out the 5. Now it reads $1. The customer grabs a stacks of dvd's. There are probably 10-12 dvd's. They plop them down on my counter. When I ring the first one up it says $15. They say no all these are supposed to be $1. I say no this whole display is $15. They walk me over and show me that it says $1. I find the missing number and put it up. They make me call a manager to complain so they can get it at $1. The thing that makes me mad is the the manager doesn't want to deal with them. Instead of walking back there they just call. They make me explain on the phone in front of the customer. Then they say, "Well just give it to them!"
As a nation we have changed thought processes. We need to change our internal speech. We need to remember the ideals on which this nation was founded. We need to speak more pride and integrity into ourselves! America is not supposed to be a hand out but a hand up! We need to speak confidence and an others centered perspective into our children. The future of the nation is the children. We need to speak them into bold, confident, and creative leaders! Not a cry baby who didn't get an I-pod on his brothers birthday! If we are going to be a nation with an attitude of expectation, let's be one of higher expectation! One that sets a standard of what the power of positive words, thoughts, and actions can do!
People think that they are supposed to have everything handed to them on a silver platter. For example, I work at a retail store. We sell food as well as many household items. I see people that are wearing really nice clothes pay for food with food stamps. Then I help them purchase a huge flat screen tv with cash. When I go help them load the tv in their car and they are driving a Lexus! Example number 2, I go help a lady in her 60's buy video games. As I ring up her items she says that she is buying this for a grandson that has a birthday. I say he must have been good to get 2 games. She says no that one grandson has a birthday but the other gets a game too. She buys both a gift so the one not having a birthday won't feel left out! I cannot wrap my head around this concept! When I was young I went to sibling and cousin birthday parties all the time. You knew the routine. The birthday kid got a gift and you were lucky if you got a piece of cake. That is normal. Example 3, I am sitting in the breakroom at work and a lady tells me that her kid is in middle school. The kid just tried out for baseball. He made it on the team and he is good but there is a problem. There is a boy on the team who stinks. He doesn't want to play but his parents make him. He is no good but the couch has to put him on the team. Naturally I ask why he has to put this boy on the team. The lady says that the couch has to put all the boys who try out on the team! I am dazed but I ask why. She says because they don't want to hurt any of the boys fragile self-esteem! Ok I thought the idea was for you to build the confidence of the boys that made it on the team. I thought that those who didn't were supposed to be aware they need to improve and be challenged to improve before the next tryouts! Example 4, The government issues bailouts to failing companies. I pull into my drive way and see my neighbors car. There is a decal on the rear windshield. It says, "Where's my bailout?" Example 5, I'm ringing up latin cd's for a latin man. His total is $20-30. He pulls out a wad of bills and pulls off a $100 bill. I say, "Wow! I wish I made that kind of money. What do you do?" He says he works construction. I ask if he is an engineer. He says no he puts on roofs. I laugh and ask if he needs help. He says, "You can't do it, you have to pay taxes." Last example, I have a display of movies out that are all $15. The price is made with these big numbers that slide into the sign. A customer takes out the 5. Now it reads $1. The customer grabs a stacks of dvd's. There are probably 10-12 dvd's. They plop them down on my counter. When I ring the first one up it says $15. They say no all these are supposed to be $1. I say no this whole display is $15. They walk me over and show me that it says $1. I find the missing number and put it up. They make me call a manager to complain so they can get it at $1. The thing that makes me mad is the the manager doesn't want to deal with them. Instead of walking back there they just call. They make me explain on the phone in front of the customer. Then they say, "Well just give it to them!"
As a nation we have changed thought processes. We need to change our internal speech. We need to remember the ideals on which this nation was founded. We need to speak more pride and integrity into ourselves! America is not supposed to be a hand out but a hand up! We need to speak confidence and an others centered perspective into our children. The future of the nation is the children. We need to speak them into bold, confident, and creative leaders! Not a cry baby who didn't get an I-pod on his brothers birthday! If we are going to be a nation with an attitude of expectation, let's be one of higher expectation! One that sets a standard of what the power of positive words, thoughts, and actions can do!
Wednesday, April 20, 2011
Mow-Mow
This year has been challenging. It was April when I lost my great Aunt Ruth. Then in december I lost my dad. Now I have lost my grandmother. All these losses have saddened me but I handled them well. I was the rock my mom needed when my grandmother passed. It was hard going thru Mow-Mow's things. I kept my Mom and Aunt Cindy positive and productive. I tried to consistently have a positive mental attitude. Mom told me that she could not have gotten through any of it without me. That made my heart swell with pride. That is what it means to be a blessing to others. To know you have made a difference in their life. But her words made a difference in mine as well.
Monday, December 13, 2010
Crazy
People have always thought that I was crazy. I remember getting in big trouble my last year of high school. I did something very stupid to try to be cool to people that didn't like me. I wrote a paper about what I did and why. I read the paper aloud in class with those same people. Afterwards someone who was not in that group but not really my friend came up and hugged me. She thanked me for showing that I was normal. She had thought that I was a perfect brown noser with no emotions. My dad is very sick with ALS. Recently a friend stopped me to tell me I inspired her because I was able to face each day without being an emotional wreck. I imagine the girl who hugged me would think that I was not upset about my father. However, my friend at work knows me well enough to realize the truth.
The truth is that I care very much and I am deeply hurt to see my dad in such pain. Despite those emotions I have the sense to know the things I can and cannot control. I still have a great many blessings in my life. I also know that every change I go through is just leading me into a new chapter in my life.
I believe that I am called to do something that will change many lives for the better. I'm not sure exactly how yet but each day I look forward to discovering that purpose. My happiness is controlled by that internal motivation and not by external circumstances. For example, The other day I was at work stocking paper goods. I had already been yanked to several places. Then they asked me to run a register. Like most people initially my temper was high. I felt like crying and I was bad mouthing the manager on the way to the register. When I realized how upset I was, I stopped to think about why. I made a conscience decision not to let my happiness be determined by circumstances. I went to the register, talked to the customers, and found a way to be happy.
The only things that I can control are my attitude and my actions. If I could go back to high school and talk to the girl who hugged me, I would tell her what I am telling you. The only things that I can control are my attitude and my actions. When I was walking to the register I was making a decision to change my attitude. I changed my attitude by changing what that little voice in my head is saying. I was changing my words. At first I was saying, "I hate running a register. I'll never finish the paper goods cart. This is keeping me away from the job in toys that I was supposed to do today. I will be up here all day and then get in trouble for having overtime." I changed my words to say, "I will go run a register till it is time to go. I will do it as well as I do everything else. I will be joking and happy with customers." So maybe I seem crazy to most people but in truth I am just learning the serenity prayer.
God, grant me the serenity To accept the things I cannot change; Courage to change the things I can; And wisdom to know the difference.
The truth is that I care very much and I am deeply hurt to see my dad in such pain. Despite those emotions I have the sense to know the things I can and cannot control. I still have a great many blessings in my life. I also know that every change I go through is just leading me into a new chapter in my life.
I believe that I am called to do something that will change many lives for the better. I'm not sure exactly how yet but each day I look forward to discovering that purpose. My happiness is controlled by that internal motivation and not by external circumstances. For example, The other day I was at work stocking paper goods. I had already been yanked to several places. Then they asked me to run a register. Like most people initially my temper was high. I felt like crying and I was bad mouthing the manager on the way to the register. When I realized how upset I was, I stopped to think about why. I made a conscience decision not to let my happiness be determined by circumstances. I went to the register, talked to the customers, and found a way to be happy.
The only things that I can control are my attitude and my actions. If I could go back to high school and talk to the girl who hugged me, I would tell her what I am telling you. The only things that I can control are my attitude and my actions. When I was walking to the register I was making a decision to change my attitude. I changed my attitude by changing what that little voice in my head is saying. I was changing my words. At first I was saying, "I hate running a register. I'll never finish the paper goods cart. This is keeping me away from the job in toys that I was supposed to do today. I will be up here all day and then get in trouble for having overtime." I changed my words to say, "I will go run a register till it is time to go. I will do it as well as I do everything else. I will be joking and happy with customers." So maybe I seem crazy to most people but in truth I am just learning the serenity prayer.
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