Have you ever met someone who makes you think? Who genuinely makes you change your perspective? Someone who makes you grateful for your situation?
Real World Story: At the end of last year, I was coming home from a business trip, yet again, amongst the hustle and bustle of the holiday season. At the airport, I was awestruck by the sad looking faces all around me—from hurried business travelers to frustrated family vacationers—the scene was especially compounded by flight delays and poor weather. People looked weary and extremely unhappy.
However…
As I approached the rental car bus, I was wonderstruck by the smiling face of the driver who was waiting to greet us.
59097621 – transport, tourism, road trip, gesture and people concept – happy driver inviting on board of intercity bus
He stood outside the bus and helped us with our bags while he welcomed us. He greeted us pleasantly and with a smile, collected our bags and quickly loaded them into the bus. After the bus was loaded, he turned to everyone and announced, “My momma calls me Eric. My real name is Good to Be Here. That’s the attitude I choose every day.” With a smile that never wavered, he then turned and started driving us to our destinations.
Wow, what a positive attitude! I surveyed the looks on the stunned and surprised travelers’ faces as each was greeted by such an amazingly friendly man. Some looked astonished. Others looked pleasantly pleased. I was thrilled. His attitude made me stop in my tracks and check myself on my outlook of life and my current situation. If this man could CHOOSE his positive attitude, couldn’t I do the same? Couldn’t we all? Of course we can!
Strategies that Turn it Around:
- Choose your attitude. What attitude are you CHOOSING today? When you wake up in the morning, are you excited to go to work? If not, what ARE you excited about? You can CHOOSE your attitude. It’s simply easier to go negative than positive, so choose to go positive.
- Lead, don’t follow. If your coworkers have a “bad” attitude, do you follow along? Could you instead lead others and show them your positive disposition? It’s simply a matter of you wearing your “happy pants” to combat their “grumpy pants.”
- Be an example. If your entire team is in low spirits, can you be an example of positivity and do something influential? Perhaps you can lead a team meeting in which everyone talks about their goals for the year, and you set an example by illustrating worthy goals you’ve set for yourself.
Remember: How we experience our surroundings is determined by how we feel inside—everything starts with our attitude. Although we cannot control others’ attitudes, we can control how we respond to them. We have a choice, so let’s CHOOSE to live happy and positive lives—at work and at home.
What are you going to do to CHOOSE to be happy? Please share your stories and tips.