Choosing Positive Attitudes

by Poppy Smith

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What’s the difference between viewing a situation as an opportunity to grow or an obstacle?  Attitude.  Choosing your attitude is the single most important daily decision you make. 

A positive attitude, not circumstances, makes you more open to new opportunities and determines your level of fulfillment in life.  Instead of being negative or rigid, pay attention to what is positive in others, in yourself, and in the situations you are facing right now. 

Difficulties contain seeds for growth in Christlikeness—you could choose to trust God in a fresh way, you could choose to look past someone’s difficult personality and focus on their good points, you could look  for ways to help one person who is worse off than you.

It does take discipline to catch negative thoughts that surge into our minds when tough or discouraging situations come up, but you can do it.  Choose to think on what is faith-filled and positive.  For Scriptures that will help you do this, see Want to Grow?  By choosing a positive attitude even in hard situations, you show the difference God makes in a human life, as illustrated in this true story.

Lessons Learned in a Nursing Home

Two women, both born in the Midwest, both raised in Christian homes, both in their 90’s.   That is where their similarities end and their differences begin in the small room they share today in a comfortable nursing home.

One of the two women is an elderly relative we call Maggie.  The other, Nellie, is her roommate.  The stark differences between these two elderly women caused me to realize there were five things I could intentionally practice now to be the kind of woman I’d want to be should I have to depend on others or live in a nursing home.  The attitudes and behaviors that I choose now will influence the person I become in my senior years, even if I have memory problems.

• Practice graciousness.  After being helped with their showers, the two women responded with the following:

Maggie: “I got SCRUBBED too hard!  I couldn’t wait to get out!”

Nellie: “Oh that shower was wonderful!  I’m squeaky clean!”

In her earlier years, Maggie was never one to express thankfulness or appreciate the kindness given to her.  She either took things for granted or resented the efforts of the other person as an intrusion on what she could do for herself.

• Persist in patience.

Maggie: “When are they coming?  I need help NOW!”

Nellie: “I need help!  I need help when you can.  I know you’re busy.  Just come when you can.  I know you’ll come.”

Maggie was never patient with her own children, the students in her classroom at school, at Sunday school, nor with her piano students.  She was a perfectionist and thought everyone else should be one too.  She carried that same attitude with her into the nursing home.

• Pursue tolerance.

Maggie, to a nurse from India: “You don’t speak the kind of English I speak!  I don’t want you to help me!”

Nellie: “Thank you so much.  I like you.  You are so kind. God bless you.”

Maggie has always shown an attitude of prejudice.  We talked to her about it several times in earlier years.  Now that she cannot think about the way her words are hurting others, she blurts out the prejudices she formerly kept to herself and her family.

• Pick your thoughts carefully.

Maggie: “I don’t want to be here!”

Nellie: “This is a wonderful place.  It really is.  I have no complaints.  It’s clean. The food is good.  I have everything I need.”

No one is anxious to be dependent on others or to live in a nursing home.  Looking out the window today and learning to appreciate God’s creation now will make it easier to be grateful when we look out the windows in our senior years.

• Point your mind toward God.

After hearing Nellie quote a Scripture, Maggie responded, “I don’t want to think about it.”

Nellie:  “God is good.  We can trust Him always.  He is faithful. He is so good.  That’s all that matters.  God is good.”

Building habits in our younger years, like meditating on God’s Word, praying, and expressing thankfulness, will reflect God though our minds and attitudes, now and in our senior years.

Want to be a Savvy Girl?  Then check your attitudes and ask God to show you how.  He delights in our willingness to be transformed.

Copyright 2009 - Poppy Smith. All rights reserved.

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