It has been said that you should keep positive people around you and keep negative people away. But what if people in your family are negative? What do you do when your boss is negative? How should we react when we are having a great day and a person in our life, who we can’t avoid, descends on you like a tornado of negativity, hostility, and criticism tearing everything down? I loose my happiness. I loose my good attitude.
I shouldn’t be that way.
This is the day that the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it. Psalm 118:24
It doesn’t say try to rejoice. It doesn’t say rejoice until someone treats me poorly. It says rejoice and be glad. You can choose to be glad when things are going badly. You can choose to rejoice when someone’s war path tramples your day.
How?
Sometimes it is a difficult choice. But you can do it. Here are some ways you can have a good attitude:
Sing – Wrap yourself up in the garment of praise. It doesn’t matter what you sing, sing to the Lord until your attitude changes. You can’t sing “Jesus Loves Me” without smiling when you’re through.
Smile – Even a fake smile will release endorphins. Endorphins are hormones that naturally occur in your brain. When released, they increase your threshold for pain and increase your good mood.
Random Act of Kindness – Do something nice for someone out of the blue. It is a great feeling. Even better, do something nice for the person causing you strife.
Laugh – Laughing reduces stress and increases endorphin levels.
Gratitude – List on paper or aloud five things for which you are thankful. It is easier to have a good attitude when you see all the blessings you have been given.
Move Your Body – Dance, walk, run, jump, do something active!
I hope you choose to rejoice in the LORD and be glad today.
Polite and (paranoid) 