A Positive Mental Attitude

I hate those times when I can feel myself becoming cynical. Do you ever feel that way? It's like a terrible burden that just keeps getting heavier and heavier until you finally realize what it is - a cynical mindset. I have never considered myself cynical and I sure as heck am not going to allow myself to become one now!

As I searched for blogs on the topic "Positive Mental Attitude," I found this post that I thought was interesting. It is the 5 Myths of a Positive Mental Attitude.

Several years ago I read "Think and Grow Rich" by Napoleon Hill. It's a long-time, best-selling classic, and if you haven't already heard of it, you should read it. It can change your life. Anyway, when I read it I felt such a thrilling feeling, the kind of feeling you have when you know you have been created by God for a purpose and that your purpose in life is full and exciting and that you can fulfill it. That's the reality of life, and that's the thing you are continually reminded of in "Think and Grow Rich."

Just to give you a taste of what I mean, here are some excerpts:

• "Whatever the mind can conceive and believe, it can achieve."
• "No one is ever defeated until defeat has been accepted as a reality."
• "Remember that all who succeed in life get off to a bad start, and pass through many heartbreaking struggles before they 'arrive.' The turning point in the lives of those who succeed usually comes at the moment of some crisis, through which they are introduced to their 'other selves.'"
• "A quitter never wins, and a winner never quits."
• "Success requires no explanations. Failure permits not alibis."
• "Genuine wisdom is usually conspicuous through modesty and silence."
• "The value of decisions depends upon the courage required to render them."

We need to constantly take stock of our lives and recognize the positive influences and the negative influences. Then we need to strengthen and further wrap our thoughts around the positive influences and shun, hinder or eliminate those negative influences in our lives.

Some examples of positive influences in our lives could be (in no particular order):

1. Our relationship with God and the influence of going to church.
2. Our relationship with our spouse, kids and family.
3. Reading good books such as The Bible, the Book of Mormon, the classics in literature and art that teach moral and spiritual lessons.
4. Prayer
5. Meditation
6. Association with good friends/neighbors who have an inspiring or positive impact on your life.
7. Involvement in service/charity oriented activities such as community organizations, church and civic functions, etc.
8. Physical exercise.
   

Some examples of negative influences in our lives could be (also in no particular order):

1. Any kind of drug or alcahol abuse.
2. Association with friends who do not uplift nor inspire but who harbor a bad attitude.
3. Pornography or any obsession with low and degrading filth.
4. Extreme political views without tolerance for those with differing opinions.
5. Isolationist or anti-social behavior such as "hermit" style living.

These are the things to watch out for. But by strengthening the positive and shunning the negative, we can feel greater inner peace and calm the turmoil in our hearts.