Does Attitude Matter In Life?

I’m a Pollyanna. My new boyfriend is amazed I survived to adulthood!. How can such a cock-eyed optimist survive past middle age with her optimism intact?

If I think back, there have been a few times when I have been ripped off. But every time I’ve managed to pick myself up and start afresh. So looking back, it’s true to say my whole experience of life is determined by my attitude. As an optimist, the good experiences in my past are always uppermost in my mind, not the bad ones.

Now consider the pessimist, who recalls the bad events in their life instead of the good ones. Faced with a crisis or a problem, that person is more likely to worry about the worst possible outcome, whereas I’ll hope for the best. We’ve all heard that you’re more likely to get what you focus on, so the person who thinks only of the worst outcome is more likely to get it!. Because I’m hoping for the best, I’m more likely to make efforts to ensure the best is what happens.

Of course, that could mean I’m sadly unprepared if the worst does befall! However, thanks to my attitude, that doesn’t happen as often as it might otherwise.

So, attitude not only determines how you experience life, it also determines your actions, and therefore can affect the course of your life. But is our attitude inborn or learned? Can a ‘natural pessimist’ learn to see the glass half full’glass half empty’ change their natural bent? I think they can. One’s attitude is linked to one’s sense of self. I think my dance training has improved my self-esteem and therefore my attitude to life. I see it often in belly dance class – it’s wonderful to watch shy, hesitant women blossom into confident dancers, and with that confidence comes a new outlook on life!