Spring Cleaning for your Life Part Two - Freshening up your Attitude

Mondays  signify one important thing, a fresh start. It's like a new years resolution at the start of every week.

Hopefully by this Monday you've taken some off time during the glorious Easter weekend to rejuvenate, spend quality time with loved ones and friends, which makes Monday your chance to really get to work and make the most of your week.

Spring Cleaning for your Life. Yes, you read that correctly. Today's Making the Most of Monday is Part Two of a three part series that I thought would be a great way to start off spring. If you missed part one a couple of  weeks ago, click back to Out with the Old.

Part Two: Freshening up your Attitude.

A couple of weeks ago, I asked you to write down a list of things that are cluttering your life. This week, I'm going to ask you to take a big step. Together we are going to let go of that old way of thinking, living and reacting and be out with the old, once and for all. 

I've put together a list of words. Words that you may harbor in your own heart that keep you from living up to your potential.

Jealousy

Bitterness

Resentment

Unforgiveness

Denial

Hatred

All of these words are very powerful and can affect your attitude, your way of thinking and how you portray yourself. The bottom line is, you control your attitude. The previous sentence is short, but holds a lot of power. Once you have full realization that attitude is a choice whether good or bad, you've already begun the process to living a better life. Below I've included a few powerful quotes. I encourage you to take a moment to think about each one.

 

The greatest day in your life and mine is when we take total responsibility for our attitudes. That's the day we truly grow up.
  - John C Maxwell

And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our fear, our presence automatically liberates others.
 - Marianne Williamson

What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us.

 - Ralph Waldo Emerson

The greatest discovery of my generation is that a human being can alter his life by altering his attitudes of mind.
 - William James

Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass. It's about learning how to dance in the rain.
 - Author Unknown

I can't change the direction of the wind, but I can adjust my sails to always reach my destination.
 - Jimmy Dean

Are you ready to change your attitude? Its all about controlling what you are thinking about and what comes out of your mouth.

I have to admit some days it's hard to wake up ( being that I'm not a morning person at all) and smile at my bright eyed children and give them that positive and happy attitude that they need for a successful day. If I woke up in a bad mood every day and already bad mouthing what lies ahead or the obstacles they may face what kind of attitude am I teaching them? What kind of foundation am I laying for their day?

I hope you'll freshen up your attitude this week. Get rid of old thinking habits. Get rid of negative words and feelings your harboring. Realize that you have control over your attitude. If your thinking bad, acting bad it is probably going to turn out bad. If you are thinking good, working hard and remaining positive, I bet no matter what you face, you'll get through it a hundred times better.

Make a choice, to Make the Most of Your Life today.

 - Gabreial

 

Comments

[christina]

i love this post...thanks for sharing all the great quotes. when my attitude is down, i always look to gratitude to change my mood. i have so many things in my life to be grateful for, it's hard to have a bad attitude!!

someone also told me another trick: he has a YAHOO mail account, to remind him "You Always Have Other Options." just a reminder that we have choices and we control our attitudes and reactions to our everyday life.

thanks for posting...

[A Twitter User]

Great post! I think that first thing on the list, jealousy, really promotes the others. Imagine a world without jealousy! I've heard it said, "a bad mood is like bad breath, nobody likes it!"

[Leah]

Great post, I agree with this. Something interesting is the idea of forgiveness - I believe that forgiving other people is more important for you than it is for them - by letting go of the hurt and anger you may feel, you let yourself move on and be happier.

[Vintage Indie]

I couldn't agree more Leah.

[Debi Ward Kennedy]

Excellent post, Gabreial! Two of my favorite quotes on this subject are from 'Eat.Pray.Love' by Elizabeth Gilbert:

"I am assuming custodial responsibility for the maintenance of my own soul".

“You need to learn how to select your thoughts just the same way you select your clothes every day. This is a power you can cultivate. If you want to control things in your life so bad, work on the mind. That’s the only thing you should be trying to control.” - which was actually said by Richard from Texas ;)

Good reminders that we don't control a lot in this life, but we CAN choose to control our minds.