Changes in Latitudes, Changes in Attitudes

HiHo! How is everyone doing? Good? Please say good. I need y’all to be good!

I was flipping through the posts on Twitter this morning and saw an author had quoted part of The Optimist Creed and it really spoke to me. The creed itself spoke to me, not necessarily anything else mentioned on the site. As I thought about it though, and read through each of the lines, I realized just how much of my life and thoughts and attitudes could use such a drastic adjustment.

Promise Yourself

To be so strong that nothing can disturb your peace of mind.
I need to do this, both in physical strength and mental strength. Both can lead to peace of mind and to a positive, optimistic mental attitude.

To talk health, happiness, and prosperity to every person you meet.
I can totally say that I do not do this. Another place for a change in attitude.

To make all your friends feel that there is something worthwhile in them.
I try here. I really do try here with this one. I need to try harder.

To look at the sunny side of everything and make your optimism come true.
Yeah. Need to work on this one and work hard. I have never been a very optimistic person, a very positive person because disappointment is easy to come by when you’re hopeful, when you wish, when you look forward to… but, being negative and pessimistic is a double edged sword. For all that you don’t get your hopes up and therefore don’t really get disappointed, things are very dull and dim and nothing good happens at all. So, I do need to look on the brighter side a lot more than I am used to…

To think only of the best, to work only for the best and to expect only the best.
See comment above.

To be just as enthusiastic about the success of others as you are about your own.
This one, I do to the best of my ability. I am always excited about the success of my friends and even of people I don’t know. But, at the same time, and I’m big enough to admit this, I can be envious, and even at times jealous of their success, especially of those in my chosen field. It’s not a fun feeling nor is my enthusiasm any less sincere for it. I need work in this area, too though.

To forget the mistakes of the past and press on to the greater achievements of the future.
Completely agree with this one and I am one of those people that has a hard time letting go of the past, especially things I wish I’d done differently, mistakes I made, things I didn’t say, and even things I did say. I do try not to make the same mistakes a second time again, either professionally or personally. I hate having to re-learn a lesson I should have gotten the first time around.

To wear a cheerful expression at all times and give a smile to every living creature you meet.
I sometimes frown. I sometimes show no expression. I sometimes stare blankly. I should smile more, especially when I don’t feel like it. I bet it will do wonders for my attitude.

To give so much time to improving yourself that you have no time to criticize others.

This is the one that was quoted on Twitter earlier today that got me going on this tangent. I have been known to gossip, to not be kind about people I either know or don’t know, to be judgmental, to throw jibes and unkind words. This is unbecoming of anyone and it’s an ugly thing to see reflected in the mirror. I am not perfect. I am not without blemish or blame. The parable about being the first to cast stones…yeah, I need to remember that one. It’s one thing to speak out against things you don’t agree with and to call someone on the carpet for being a hypocrite, but you have to be willing to be called on the carpet as well. I truly do need to work on making improvements on myself, my attitudes and to concentrate so much on it as this line says, so that I don’t have time to ‘fix’ others.

To be too large for worry, too noble for anger, too strong for fear, and too happy to permit the presence of trouble.
I’m not sure there are enough happy pills in the world that can do this. LOL. I would like not to be angry so much, I would like to be without fear, I would definitely love to be without worry because I worry all the time, and I would dearly love to be happier. I don’t think this is about ignoring things that we need to confront, but rather seeing the positive and getting to work.

To think well of yourself and to proclaim this fact to the world, not in loud word, but in great deeds.

I will have a very hard time with this one. I don’t know how to take a compliment. I don’t have a whole heap of confidence in myself, my person, my writing, my parenting, my friendship, my anything… I often times have to have compliments and praise crammed down my throat because I don’t know how to accept them with graciousness even though I am very thankful and very humbled by them. A few very dear friends can vouch for this and it is annoying to them even that it is so hard for me. I am a very self-conscious person, shy, the one most likely to be found in the corner of a party trying my best to blend into the paint. I haven’t done great deeds, yet I know I’ve touched people with my writing. They have told me so. So, maybe that needs to be my great deed, my gift. My other one, needs to be my friendship. Opening my heart, closing my mouth, listening more…

To live in the faith that the whole world is on your side, so long as you are true to the best that is in you.

Yes. Being true to oneself. Not being who you think others think you should be. Not being who others tell you you are. Being true the person living within your soul, your genuine self. Being true to your heart and not backing down from what you want, from what fulfills and completes you. This, I am learning. It’s not easy because there are people that get hurt along the way and not that I have tried to hurt them on purpose or with any malicious intent, but they have not had my best interest at heart and they have not wanted to or tried to understand *who* I really am and what I need to make me happy.

We should all be faithful to the best that is in us and we should let the best that is in us, out. No, it’s not all about being happy and perky and chipper all the time. God, No! I’d have to clobber myself if I tried that. This whole thing is basically about changing my attitude, changing how I view the things and the people and the circumstances around me, trying to find the brighter side, and trying to see the best that is possible. Part of this process is eliminating the negatives in our lives; habits, people, foods. I would say jobs, but jobs are hard to come by and you simply have to look beyond things you may not want to be doing. I had this kind of thing for a while and had to pick up a hobby that I fell in love with that made it somewhat worth it until I could change.

Let’s give it a try, shall we… I’ve been sick since Sunday. Head cold, sinus infection, migraines, hot flashes, not a lot of sleep. I’ve rested a bit more than I would have were I not sick. I’ve had a little down time. I’ve taken a bit of a break from the internet for the most part, I was able to connect with my story in my mind and work some things out that weren’t coming to me before when I was trying too hard.

Yeah, it’s gonna take some work…grins.

Here’s a little video clip from Jimmy Buffett, Changes in Latitudes, Changes in Attitudes and it kind of goes a long with all of the above.