How Do Our Personalities and Attitudes Affect Our Lives?

Our personalities and attitudes determine how we live our lives and how others see us. They affect whether or not we look at life positively or negatively. And to a large extent they determine the happiness we have in our life.

The following is one example of this. Two acquaintances had knee surgery within weeks of each other. One accepted that there would be pain and persevered in her therapy and exercise sessions, doing all she was required to do with a positive attitude. The other complained about the pain and made excuses to avoid doing what was necessary to get her knee working optimally. The one with the positive attitude has just returned from a month of traveling and the other is still limping around with a cane.

Another situation was that of a friend's mother who thought her blood pressure was excessively high. She said she felt so bad, she wished she'd die and couldn't eat because she was too sick. The friend took her mother to the doctor who found her blood pressure to be extremely good for a woman of her age. The woman suddenly felt so much better that her appetite returned. She even looked different; not like like the woman who had a short time previously given all appearances of being one step from the grave when she thought her blood pressure was high.

In another case a friend's ex-husband thinks the world hasn't treated him well. He feels he's owed so he walks around with a chip on his shoulder. Instead of greeting others with a smile and a friendly face, he is constantly looking for a reason to fight. As a result, he usually finds what he is looking for which leads to further discontent.

These are negative examples of how personality and attitude can affect our lives. A positive example is someone whose cup is constantly half-full. They will either see the good or will look for the best in each situation, usually finding it.

Positive personalities tend to be proactive and will work towards their goals. As a result life is more likely to fall into place creating happier lives for them. But even those who have bad things happen to them that are beyond their control manage, with positive attitudes, to take their misfortune in stride. Smiles beget smiles. Positive outlooks produce positive outcomes. And if we are positive and happy, others want to be around us.

With poor attitudes or negative personalities, we can be our own worst enemies. All the bad things we think are going to happen to us usually will. I have heard people complain that we've had so much rain lately; what a terrible year it had been. I'm usually surprised thinking that the weather had been quite decent. Negative attitudes and personalities affect how we see everything. The world will look dark and gray.

The following are some things we can do to become more positive in our attitudes:

- make an effort to think positively by visualizing positive outcomes;
- practice meditation;
- listen to soothing music;
- avoid negative people;
- try to take the rush and stress out of your life by going on walks and doing things you enjoy;
- self-talk to help banish negative thoughts from your mind and encourage positive thinking;
- take a relaxing bath before bedtime to help encourage restful sleep;
exercise regularly;
- eat regular and nutritional meals – we are what we think as much as we are what we eat;
- laugh a lot.

It is said that it is easier to put a smile on our face than a frown. Putting smiles on our faces is a good beginning to having positive attitudes and personalities.