Some thoughts about attitude...

My favorite bumper sticker reads "Don't believe everything you think." Good idea. The AA program taught me that I am powerless over people, places and things. In fact, the only thing I can control at all is me, my actions, my thoughts, and yes, my feelings. Interesting idea, deciding how to feel. I always thought feelings were just natural events, like tidal waves and tornadoes. But in truth, I have conditioned myself to react in certain ways to certain stimuli (see, I have been reading my Psych1A text), and for most of my life was tossed on the tortuous wind of my own creation. I am much better at making different decisions about how to feel. And occasionaly, an old button gets pushed, and I am off and running with my righteous indignation or rampant fear or wounding pain. Then, it becomes impossible to do anything but ride out the storm until the feelings pass. And I have to decide at that time what to do about what happened to me, if anything. Luckily, I have also conditioned myself to ask for help. There's a wild concept, but a cooler head can often keep me from majorly screwing up my Karma with words that, once spoken, can never be undone. Attitude is everything, you see. It is the difference between a lot of bothersome unhappiness or a few annoyances interspersed with hours of sweet serenity. I was watching CSI last night, and some bozo pushed a woman's SUV into the path of an oncoming train because she threw her latte at him in a fit of road rage. We are all so very angry, and we are the only ones who can change that. It is one reason I want to study psychology. Perhaps, even in these twilight years, I can make a difference. But as Robert Fulgham said, "don't worry that you kids don't listen to you, worry that they see everything you do". The secret is to be the person I want others to become. It is easiest if I can laugh at myself. So, learn to laugh at yourself. You'll never be without a source of amusement.