Stay Positive

"The pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity, the optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty."  Winston Churchill

Holocaust survivor Viktor Frankl wrote:  We who lived in concentration camps can remember the men who walked through the huts comforting others, giving away their last piece of bread.  They may have been few in number, but they offer sufficient proof that everything can be taken from a man but one thing:  the last of the human freedoms--to choose one's attitude in any given set of circumstances.

I believe one of the great privileges of life is being able to choose our attitudes.  If we choose to be positive, life will go well for us; and if we choose to be negative, it will not.  A positive attitude is absolutely necessary if we are to enjoy our lives today and look forward to tomorrow.

I believe the most important mental attitude a person can have is a positive approach to life.  A positive attitude helps us deal with stress, makes us fun for others to be around, and can keep us healthy.

Dr. Howard LeWine of Harvard University says:  "What does it mean to have a "positive" attitude?  The image of a bubbly, fun-loving individual may come to mind.  But such an outgoing, social person may be inclined to engage in riskier behaviors that cause injury and poor health."

Instead, there are several features of a positive attitude that research has found to be associated with healthier aging.  If you have a positive attitude, you see relatively few of life's challenges as overwhelming.  You believe you can strongly influence, if not completely determine your health.  For example, you believe that your lifestyle choices-healthy eating, regular exercise, and avoiding dangerous habits--really can affect your health.  You take pleasure in controlling your life through your choices, while understanding that there are no guarantees.

Finally you are flexible.  You know that life will sometimes make it hard to follow your agenda for health, but that if things happen that don't allow you to follow your exact program, you go with the flow.
(Joyce Meyers- Happiness)

Personally I'm glad that Dr. LeWine deemed bubbly people as a risk to themselves; Pollyanna's really wear on my nerves.  I asked a friend at work how she was feeling.  Her reply was: "I'm not feeling that great, but I choose to be happy with the Lord's help and it will be a good day."  My grandmother used to say that every day above ground was a good day.

I do believe that seeing the good involves looking at some things with the eyes of Christ.  I'm a little uncomfortable with the reference to controlling things through your choices.  I know what she means; but still my will should be dead to me.  Allowing God's Grace to work through me and asking for guidance helps me make positive choices.  Not always--but it's getting better.