“I have a bad attitude.”
Ever had this thought?
That’s like asking if the Pope is catholic, isn’t it?
We all struggle with bad attitudes from time to time. The question, though, is what to do about it.
How do we change a bad attitude? The answer is surprisingly simple:
We change our attitude when we practice gratitude.
Don’t let the simplicity of this statement fool you into thinking it won’t work. It will.
Let me give you a few examples to prove my point.
Let’s say your workload feels overwhelming. “This stupid job is insane,” you think. But what if you tweaked your thought process just a bit? What if you gave thanks for the job, instead?
Imagine how your mood would lighten if you thought, “Yes, the workload is crazy, but it’s not always like this. I’m grateful I’m not out of work right now, praying for employment. Thank you, God, for providing me with this job.”
Or, suppose your young kids are misbehaving or your older kids are making mistakes, leaving you with a bad attitude about being a mom. What if you replaced your longing for a time before kids or life after kids with gratitude for your kids? How might your attitude change if you thanked God for each child, one by one?
Or what if your bad attitude is toward yourself? What if you replaced thoughts like, Look at how out of shape I’ve let myself become? I’m disgusting. How has my life come to this? I should be in a different place by now. I’m such a loser mom/wife/friend/daughter/Christian. I’m a complete mess” with gratitude?
How would gratitude statements like, “Thank you, Lord, that I can walk, talk and think with my amazing body” “Thank you that I’m alive and you’ve promised never to leave me or forsake me,” I’m grateful your love and commitment to me is never based on my performance, but on your sacrifice,” “God, thank you that are my Father, and I am your child,” change your attitude about yourself and your life?
The truth is so simple we stumble over it:
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The next time you think, I have a bad attitude, toss a little gratitude into the mix and watch your mood lift and your attitude shift.
You are loved,
