The ABC's of Life...A is for Attitude

“The longer I live, the more I realize the impact of attitude on life. Attitude, to me, is more important than facts. It is more important than the past, the education, the money, than circumstances, than failure, than successes, than what other people think or say or do. It is more important than appearance, giftedness or skill. It will make or break a company... a church... a home. The remarkable thing is we have a choice everyday regarding the attitude we will embrace for that day. We cannot change our past... we cannot change the fact that people will act in a certain way. We cannot change the inevitable. The only thing we can do is play on the one string we have, and that is our attitude. I am convinced that life is 10% what happens to me and 90% of how I react to it. And so it is with you... we are in charge of our Attitudes.” ~Charles R. Swindoll

In the months leading up to my birthday I've been thinking about the many things in my life that I'm grateful for. Now that I'm 50 (which means I must be wise, right?) I've been looking back on some of the important lessons that I've learned about life over the years...things that I'd like my kids to know. The first, and in my opinion the most important, is attitude. Having a positive attitude is everything! It can determine how you wake up in the morning or how you sleep at night...it can make the difference on your performance in a game or on a test...it can affect your mental & physical health...and it also has an impact on your relationships. Listen to music that makes you happy (anything from Glee) . Get out in the sunshine and take a walk around the block. Watch a funny tv show or movie (Miss Congeniality). Find out what fragrances uplift your spirits (all I need to do is smell a tangerine or a clementine and I perk right up). Find what works for you and, if you can, always make the choice to live your life with a "glass half-full" attitude!