In my research around our theme for September of attitude - I found a LOT of different attitudes about ATTITUDE. I was looking for an expert, and it turns out a lot of people have a lot of opinions about attitude and the role it plays in our lives. Where I can see they ALL agree: our attitude is OURS - we OWN it.
My #1 SHEro Brené Brown helped me by keeping it simple ... "An attitude is a way of THINKING." She compares it to having a practice: "a practice is a way of doing, trying, failing and trying again."
This really helped me to focus in on attitude and my THOUGHTS. Attitudes are evaluations of “things” (attitude objects) - a person, a product or social group.
Turns out we each hold thousands of attitudes - some of these are inherited and some are learned. AND ... no matter what the attitude is, WE hold the control.
Here are 5 TIPS to DEVELOP your attitude:
1: MINDSET MATTERS: Do you have a fixed or growth mindset? With a growth mindset you recognize that you are a perpetual perfectly imperfect work in progress and your attitude can change over time. Embracing a growth mindset allows you to see the learning in your mistakes.
2: CONNECTION: Surround yourself with people who inspire you AND those who think differently from you with the intention to "seek to understand" - more growth mindset in those moments!
3: BELIEVE IN YOURSELF: Trust yourself. Confidence is essential. Remember your strengths. Check your self-talk - what's the story you are telling yourself? Check your attitude and self-talk for positivity.
4: ACTIONS: Take ACTION. Set micro-goals that are SMART and create an action plan. Persistence is essential here. Persistence, the motivation to move forward and keep going, creates an atmosphere of hope. We know that actions speak louder than words, so, what do your ACTIONS say about you?
5: EXPECTATIONS: Check your expectations - of yourself and others. Commit to a gratitude PRACTICE (more than just an attitude of gratitude) and work to forgive yourself and others.
Check out the September newsletter focused on our theme of Attitude here!