I read a meme this week that caught my eye.
“A bad attitude is like a flat tire. You can’t go anywhere until you change it.”
I might have used that before as a “Thought for the Day” back when my son Matt and I did a daily podcast.
How true is that though?
Obviously you can’t drive on a flat tire as you will only cause more damage. Isn’t it the same with a bad attitude?
I’m sure I’ve had days over the years where I didn’t have the best attitude. And when I look back on it, the rest of that day probably didn’t go well either. And yes, I probably created more damage or at least wasted the rest of that day.
What about you?
If you have a bad attitude you probably look at everything else in a negative way. If one thing sucks why wouldn’t everything else suck? When you start the day in a bad mood, chances are you’ll look at everything else from your “bad mood perspective.”
When someone gives you a compliment you might think, “I wonder what they’re after? They probably say something nice, then follow it up with what they’re really thinking.” When the boss says “Nice job,” you probably expect a “BUT” to follow.
We have to learn to change the tire.
Oh I know it’s not easy.
I try to look on the bright side and be optimistic but there are days. I’d like to think I’ve learned a few things along the way. (If not, I’ve been totally wasting my time.)
Sometimes when I’m in a bad mood, or have a bad attitude, the first thing I do is tell myself, “STOP! Is it really THAT bad or am I just being unreasonable?” I try to look at the situation from the outside and remove the emotion. In most cases I would think there is something you can do about it. Some way to change your mood. You just have to take action. Not easy, but it can be done. And the more you practice at it the better you get.
Many times the person you take offense to really wasn’t trying to attack you at all. They might be dealing with some problem in their own life and they just took it out on you.
Also, if you’re having a bad day… why is that? Is the day off to a bad start because you overslept? Whose fault is that? Plus you can’t change the fact that your day started late. Get over it and adjust where you can.
If you’re upset about something or with someone… take a step back and ask yourself why you’re upset in the first place. You may have a very valid reason, but what if it is just your reaction to the situation?
I always remember a quote from Eleanor Roosevelt: “No one can make you feel inferior without your consent.” Basically no one can upset you unless you let them. It’s true they may say hurtful things but if you don’t take it personally and realize it’s just that person lashing out because of something upsetting in their life… no problem!
You have to do something to “change the tire.” You won’t get too far down the road on that flat tire. Just like you won’t get too far on that bad attitude.
Catch up on all Sunday Columns by clicking here.
Leave a Reply