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Based on some recent conversations and email, there is a need to explain what I consider to be a positive mental attitude.  Some seem to believe that if we have positive mental attitudes we walk around with smiles pasted on our faces, that we are never unhappy, that we never complain and that we act as if life is always perfect. That is nothing short of pure BS.

A positive mental attitude describes how we approach life.  It isn’t always big smiles and a glazed over look.  A positive attitude is a working attitude.  It is a “can do” and “will do” attitude.

A person who possesses a positive mental attitude is not afraid of challenges.  Let’s face it.  Life is full of challenges.  How we handle those challenges is a reflection of our attitudes.  Those of us who try to maintain a positive mental attitude are willing to dig in and look for solutions to problems, not ignore them.  We look for a good outcome to challenges that will benefit all or at least most of those involved.

I bring this up because recently I was having lunch with a young woman who kept talking about her positive attitude.  She kept a smile pasted on her face that was anything but genuine.  Her eyes gave her away.  She was sad.  However, she kept telling me how positive she was.  In fact, she regurgitated all the right words and phrases as if through repetition she would begin to believe her words.

In fact, I do believe that we become what we think.  After all, we are a body with a mind.  However, it must be noted that reciting a litany of positive mantras does not make us positive.  I ask you to think about this for a minute.  While you recite all the positives is there a little voice of doubt in the back of your mind that nags at you?  Be honest.  We have all had our doubts.

A person with a positive mental attitude is not one who can recite the litany word for word.  Instead, I suggest it is the person who recognizes life’s challenges and takes action, looking for the best possible outcome.  A person with a positive attitude discards the whining and wallowing actions and drives forward mentally searching for an outcome or solution that is beneficial.