As a first step in learning to use words in a positive way, begin by simply striking up conversations.  Talk with the barista at Starbucks as he prepares your coffee.  Ask him about his day or about the customers he’s served.  Comment on the earrings the woman in front of you at Macy’s is buying.  Smile and say, “Hi” to the teenager who passes you in the mall.

If you are an extrovert you will find this very easy.  But, if you are an introvert this will take work. (It does get easier the more you do it, I promise.)  Either way, make a conscious decision to engage someone in conversation today and watch as a smile crosses her face.

A fellow consultant and I were talking about attitudes at work.  He shared with me that he tries to communicate to his clients that attitude is more important than anything else.  He used this example:

Assign each letter in the follow words a number value/percentage based on its standing in the alphabet.  (A=1%, B=2%, C=3% and so on.)  Next, add the percentages.

Knowledge

Attitude:

Interestingly, Knowledge equals 96%

But, Attitude equals 100%

This example illustrates the fact that knowledge is important on the job, but even more important is attitude.  How can you improve your attitude today?

Many people ask me about my journey to good health.  So …

As for the quick and measurable statistics, I lost 77 pounds and over 62 inches!  I went from a size 20 to a size 8.  Where I could barely walk up my stairs without huffing and puffing, I can now jog several miles.  It’s amazing.  To view a few pictures I took along the way, click here www.picturetrail.com/gallery/view?p=999&gid=11383047&uid=5755561&members=1.

As for other “improvements” I sleep better than I have in years, my skin is clear, I have more energy than I thought possible, the majority of my Fibromyalgia symptoms (I was diagnosed in 2001 and spent many months in bed) are gone and overall I feel great. Even better, I am free from much of the emotional baggage I had been carrying around for years.  (You see, the more wounded I allowed myself to be, the more weight I put on to hide from the pain.)

As for the specific program I did that helped me lose the weight, I followed the Fat Flush Plan (www.fatflush.com).  This was the first plan that addressed all my needs, not just the weight issue.  From having been to several holistic doctors and nutritionists throughout the years, I knew I had food allergies, addictions, vitamin deficiencies and I knew several of my organs were taxed.  The Fat Flush Plan addressed all my concerns and it did so in a way that was manageable.

What I have also learned is that this is a forever change for me.  Because of my food addictions I am not one of those people who can lose weight and never gain it back.  I KNOW I am susceptible to weight gain through poor food choices.  And there are days I struggle to make good choices.  However, I have decided that part of Choosing a Better Life is choosing good health.  So, I keep in touch with my accountability partner, admit when I fail and pick myself back up and move on.

I am worth the effort it takes to Choose a Healthy Life!

The day is early and I’ve already had one of my favorite God-sightings.

Last night we had a storm roll in.  Lots of wind, rain, etc.  We were told it was going to be bad.  I wasn’t sure what to expect when I work up this morning, but it definitely wasn’t a song.  But, a song is exactly what I got.

As I was lying in bed thinking through my day I heard the most beautiful choir of birds.  It sounded as if they were both in front, and behind my house.  One bird would sing then another would chime in. Just as one bird ended her song, another would start.  It was amazing.

Although I can’t be sure what they were thinking, or even singing, I can be sure they were rejoicing.  God promises to take care of the sparrows and these birds experienced His care first hand.  He also tells us we are worth more than many sparrows and He promises to care for us accordingly (Matthew 10:29-31).  Waking to the beautiful serenade was a special reminder of that fact.

If you’ve read the other sections of this site then you’ve probably figured out that what I’m talking about most is attitude. Attitude is everything. It is the difference between our having a miserable day or having a remarkable one. It shapes our thoughts and how we view the world. Attitude determines whether we advance in our careers or stay stagnant in our growth. And it most definitely affects our home life, relationships and the people around us.

Our attitude also plays a role in how we are perceived. Not too long ago my 12-year old daughter was talking about a boy in her class. She was saying why she did not like being around him, “Mom, he’s always so negative. Everything he says is negative.” Although I doubt that everything he says is negative, there is enough of it that he is perceived as a negative boy.

No one wants to be around negative people. Are you repelling people without even realizing it?

What I’ve learned about forgiveness is that it is an activity, not an event.  Forgiving someone, for whatever it is they’ve done wrong, isn’t a one-time occurrence.  Generally speaking it is something that needs to occur repeatedly.

I may forgive my friend today for the hurtful thing she said, but tomorrow when my anger resurfaces I’ll need to forgive her again.  And I may find that I need to forgive her many times – as many times as it takes to truly release my hurt.  It’s only then that I have freedom from the pain.  And it’s this freedom that enables me to Choose a Better Life.

Who do you need to forgive today?

Feel free to explore any of the following sites as a start to looking at forgiveness:

www.family.org
www.troubledwith.com
www.spiritualityhealth.com/newsh/items/selftest/item_232.html

I know there are many other sites on forgiveness too. If you come across some, share them with us.