“A merry heart maketh a cheerful countenance: but by sorrow of the heart the spirit is broken.” – Proverbs 15:13
Day 7: Buff & Shine Your Attitude
Your attitude goes a long way in shaping what happens over the course of your day. If you approach life from a pessimistic viewpoint, you're sure to engage in more negativity with that mindset.
Since spring is such a lovely time of year, with much beauty to awaken our senses, why not spend some time freshening up your attitude?
Indeed, a poor attitude can feel like wearing a heavy wool coat when it's hot and humid out. The feeling weighs on you and can become suffocating. You may want to shed off that heaviness but are not sure how to do so.
An optimistic attitude and outlook can turn your whole day around!
Did you know that negative words and thoughts spiral into an obsessive-compulsive mindset?
When we assume that the worst might happen, we put our minds into stress and panic mode. This revs up our nervous system to ready itself for “fight or flight”.
The fight or flight mode induces our bodies to produce stress hormones - adrenalin and cortisol. Our breathing quickens and our pulse races. We may rush in with hasty words and decisions.
Now we're thinking with our natural mind - in pure, primal survival mode - instead of trusting God, that He is in control of every situation.
Yes, we can ALWAYS trust God with ALL our hearts!
Proverbs 3:5&6 says, “Trust in the LORD with ALL thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In ALL thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.”
Our negative words and thoughts can send us spiraling with a continual negative attitude and viewing life with a tarnished outlook.
The opposite is true about a positive attitude!
When we look on the bright side, our brain secretes feel-good chemicals. These chemicals bathe and nourish our nervous system.
When we’re calm, our bodies are primed to focus on life-giving functions – such as digestion, mental clarity, rejuvenation, rest, and more positive benefits. (This is how God intended our bodies to function.)
We can set our minds to relax and rest in the Lord. Now, we're able to utilize wisdom from God, reason things out without fretting, live more mindfully, and enjoy life to the fullest without a smeared view.
Proverbs 15:15 says, “All the days of the afflicted are evil: but he that is of a merry heart hath a continual feast.”
Journal Exercise: Spring Clean Your Attitude
How's your attitude these days? The warm sunshine and beauty of nature in bloom at this time of year are sure to give you a lift. Why not match the jubilance of spring by elevating your thoughts? Shed that negative attitude like an old winter coat.
For today's journal exercise, we'll perform an attitude check and then buff away the negativity.
Instead of gloom, doom, and naysaying, don your prettiest outlook and attitude…
Get ready to see how much shinier life looks!
Grab your pen and notebook or journal. Sit in a quiet spot and reflect on any challenges that cropped up today.
What were your challenges today?
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Think about the first thing that went wrong, or turned into an issue that needed your attention. What were your initial feelings after realizing that you'd be dealing with this issue or problem?
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What did you think or say about it? Was it negative or positive? Did you grumble? Did you say negative things to the people around you or the people you had to interact with?
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Write down some thoughts on how your negative attitude can create a chain of more negativity, such as affecting others with whom you come into contact.
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What can you do or say next time to maintain a positive outlook and attitude?
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Take Action: Set Your Intention
Now that you have pondered on the effects of a poor attitude and how it also impacts other people and situations in your life, you can set an intentional goal to reduce the amount of negativity that you project onto others.
Set an action goal for how you will do this. Here are some ideas:
Start your day off with praising God and spending time with Him.
Keep a daily gratitude journal.
Share your complaint silently to the Lord, then yield it over to Him to handle. Let it go, and then move forward to happy thoughts.
David said in Psalm 142:2, “I poured out my complaint before him; I shewed before him my trouble.”
David also took care with his tongue, to maintain a testimony. He said in Psalm 39:1, “I said, I will take heed to my ways, that I sin not with my tongue: I will keep my mouth with a bridle, while the wicked is before me.”
Smile more. Put your happiest face forward, and see how it sparkles and polishes up the inside quite effectively.
Bible Verses to Reflect Upon:
Psalms 19:14 – “Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer.”
Psalms 49:3 – “My mouth shall speak of wisdom; and the meditation of my heart shall be of understanding.”
Psalm 57:7 - “My heart is fixed, O God, my heart is fixed: I will sing and give praise.”
Psalms 139:14 – “I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well.”
Psalm 142:2 – “I poured out my complaint before him; I shewed before him my trouble.”
Proverbs 15:4 – “A wholesome tongue is a tree of life: but perverseness therein is a breach in the spirit.”
Proverbs 15:13 – “A merry heart maketh a cheerful countenance: but by sorrow of the heart the spirit is broken.”
Proverbs 16:24 – “Pleasant words are as an honeycomb, sweet to the soul, and health to the bones.”
Proverbs 17:22 – “A merry heart doeth good like a medicine: but a broken spirit drieth the bones.”
Philippians 2:14 – “Do all things without murmurings and disputings:”
Philippians 4:8 – “Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.”
Colossians 3:17 – “And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.”
Colossians 3:23 – “And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men;”
Hebrews 13:15 – “By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name.”
James 4:10 – “Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.”
Spring Cleaning for the Soul #7