Attitude + Gratitude

Attitude and gratitude are two uniquely human perspectives that, for the most part, result in us having to make strong adjustments to what many consider to be a natural human reaction. When something doesn’t go our way, we tend to lash out in bitterness and blame ourselves, God, the universe, whatever is close at hand. Psychologically speaking, optimists are likelier to have a more pleasant life experience and susceptibility to happiness that others do not. Likely because they tend to see everything as an opportunity versus an arbitrary oppression that may or may not be par for the course of misery. If you’re living in America, odds suggest that you are already one of the luckiest and most well off people to have ever existed. Your life may not be a bed of roses, but if you have good health and a relatively comfortable lifestyle, then what do you have to worry about?

Attitude relates to our health in ways we don’t always understand. A healthy attitude can help our digestive processes, skin, overall lifespan, and make the difference in struggles against cancer. Our outlook is everything as long as we are willing to cling to a shred of positivity and maintain hope that things can get better. A pessimist will develop the habit of expecting the worst out of everyone and any scenario. While it is important to note that mental conditions are never at the control of those afflicted, gratitude plays a huge role in overcoming our adversity and poor attitudes. Being grateful for the things we have, the good and the challenging, is something that can offer us a rare perspective. When encounter a series of easy hurdles, we can be grateful that we didn’t have to worry about stumbling or any kind of serious harm. If we face a harder series of challenges, we should be thankful for the opportunity to grow and learn. Regardless of your being a pessimist or optimist, being an opportunist is someone who seizes the moment to accept a challenge, grateful that they’ve had this chance to grow.