Attitude Check!

I have found that attitude is everything. It affects the way I perceive things, my experiences, and my engagement or lack thereof. If I have a negative pessimistic attitude towards something, then I am less prone to want to perform the activity and I am more likely to procrastinate doing it or completing the task. Doing a check on my attitude has helped me to enter into interactions and experiences in a more balanced manner.

I used to have a sign posted up above my office door that read “Attitude Check.” The sign reminded my staff to check their attitudes at the door. Some interpreted the statement to mean, they were not to enter into my office with a negative attitude. Whereas, others interpreted the statement to be more of a directive for them to be reflective of the state of mind they were in. I allowed my staff to place their own interpretation of the statement and would enjoy engaging in discussions about it. Attitude Check simply means to be mindful of your state of mind.

As multiple authors, theorists and poets have said “if you can’t change your situation, change the way you are viewing.” Your attitude goes a long way towards having a balanced mindset. If you stay negatively stuck on something or in a constant state of complaint, then you will eventually view everything in a negative manner and not find joy in anything. A negative attitude prevents you from meaningful engagement with others and it robs you from finding joy, peace, tranquility, fulfillment, satisfaction, etc.

I find it necessary to routinely perform an Attitude Check on myself. Now…I am not unaware of the fact you are not always going to be in a positive mood or frame of mind. A little bit of negativity isn’t necessarily harmful, if it allows you to be more objective in your assessment of a situation. I do recognize that if you find yourself in a constant state of negativity, you have the power to bring yourself out of it by changing your attitude. You can CHECK YOUR ATTITUDE and take authority over it and how you allow it to affect you. How’s your attitude? Now it’s time for an Attitude Check!

Dr. Nicole L. Arkadie