21 Days to A Positive-Attitude Habit

This may come as a surprise... but your attitude is more  important than your aptitude in determining your success in life!   

Just how critical is attitude to achievement? Well, take a  look at one of the greatest inventors of the last two  hundred years - Thomas Edison. Every time you turn on a  light switch, you experience the result of his persistence  in the face of continuous failure.  

Edison tried 10,000 times to get his light bulb invention to  work, but failed each time. However, he had this to say  about his lack of success. "I have not failed. I've just  found 10,000 ways that won't work."   

You can learn to have this kind of outlook on life, but it  needs to be purposefully installed into your daily living.   

You probably know it takes about 21 days to break a habit by replacing it with a new one. If you are plagued with  persistent negative thoughts toward life, you can replace  this mindset with a new positive-attitude habit!   

Here is a 21-day five-step program to change a negative  attitude to a positive one.   

1. Take charge of what you're thinking. 

This is a moment-by-moment decision that doesn't happen  overnight. It's a habit that will take some time to build.  How can you do this? Choose to think uplifting thoughts  instead of discouraging ones.   

You get to decide what you think, which in turn determines  how you feel. Become aware of this and dwell on positive  ideas throughout the day.   

At first you may have to force yourself to find something  positive. Consider keeping a journal and write down at least  one good thing in your life each day for three weeks. Then  think about these blessings instead of discouraging  thoughts.   

2. Read inspirational material. 

During this 21-day training period, fill your mind with good  thoughts. The best book of all to read is that priceless  diamond of world literature - the Bible. You'll never know  what wonderful results from reading it are around the corner  until you open its covers!   

3. Focus on others. 

For the next 21 days make an extra effort to help other  people. Concentrating on assisting others will help you more  than you realize. If you succeed in becoming wealthy  but are poor in respect to your relationships, you will not  be truly prosperous at all!   

So make a special effort of focusing on others during your  21 days of building your new positive-attitude habit. This  will free you up to allow the butterfly of happiness to land  on your shoulder when you least expect it.   

4. Take care of your health needs.  

It's hard to maintain a positive mindset if you've neglected  your physical needs. So during the 21 days of your attitude  retraining make an extra effort to eat nutritious balanced  meals.  

Not getting enough sleep will also be a tremendous  hindrance, so make sure you're getting adequate rest. And  don't forget to get enough exercise. When you feel down, try  to take a brisk 30-minute walk. You'll feel revived!   

5. Learn contentment 

For the next 21 days focus on what you have and not on what  you don't have. Live in the present and enjoy your  blessings.   

Try to forget acquiring stuff for the purpose of keeping up  with others. That only leads to more anxiety. Be thankful  for what you do have instead.   

When going through difficult experiences - remember that  adversity can be a blessing in disguise. You might learn  some important lessons during those tough times - like  Thomas Edison did. (I know I have.)  

These lessons can turn into credentials that will enable you to help  others when they're going through tough times.   

So don't let negativity ruin your present and future.  Instead, build a new habit of having a positive attitude. It  will take about 21 days to start seeing consistent changes  in the way you think, but it will be worth it!   

Now choose the starting date for your attitude-renewal  adventure and go for it!   

How about today?