Friday, September 13, 2013

Attitude, Attitude, Attitude.

Everyone has an Attitude. Some of them are good attitudes but everyone at one point or another has a BAD Attitude.

I have been known to have a Bad Attitude from time to time.. I know what you're thinking.. "Lindsay?... Bad Attitude??.... How could this be???...." LOL yeah right! I'm sure it's completely believable. My teenage years, especially, I had extra practice in the world of Attitude.

Attitudes become habits... hard habits to break. And speaking from experience, your attitude toward something just becomes second nature.

For instance, when I am wearing a sweat shirt and jeans in the cool autumn air... I automatically have a cheerful attitude. On the opposite end of the spectrum... put me outside on a hot muggy summer day and my attitude quickly turns south.

For the longest time... like, my entire life practically.... I always thought someone was a certain way because "that's just they way they are." So I started to turn that same thought process towards myself.... and I began to think.. "I can't help it they made me mad and I acted the way I did, they should have known better because that's just the way I am."

Does that sound familiar to you too...

You know what I am getting at.. That bit where I said "because that's just the way I am."

Let's break that down... where did that mind set come from... friends/family/parents? Regardless of where you got this idea... it is dead wrong. And believe me I am singin' to the choir today folks.... I'm stepping hard on my own pinky toe right now! (ouch)

I can hardly write as more and more instances flood back to my mind where I reacted a certain way to something that made me unhappy, just because I felt entitled to "the way I feel." Who do I think I am?

Now, I am not saying that something can't make you mad, sad or overwhelmed etc... because those are feelings that all of us experience.... But it's all in the way we handle our emotions after the fact. Are we going to throw a fit and say and do things that we (should) regret and then justify those actions with, "that's just the way we are"?... Maybe... Because some of you will read this blog today and may think, that this sounds all fine and dandy but it sounds like too much work to change so I'll just stick to "the way I am"... after all "it's just the way I am."

You can't teach an old dog new tricks kind of thinking.

We have fell into the trap that the devil wants us to believe... that we can't control our emotions or change how we react to something... he wants us to act this way because he knows that it is not honoring and glorifying God.

When I think about it like that... it makes me so mad that I have allowed the lies to shape who I am and how I conduct myself if things don't go my way.

Example: Someone hurts your feelings.. And I mean the kind of hurt feeling where you feel walked all over and unappreciated... and rightfully so. What if that person who wrongs you never apologizes or even acknowledges that they hurt you.... Well.. the normal human response (depending on how emotional you are) would be to yell/do the same back to them when the time comes/teach them a lesson/pout/ignore them until they can figure out what they did wrong.

Sad to say... I have a bad habit of doing all of those things from time to time. So know that what I am saying is hard for me to take too... but the facts are the facts... I should not EVER act that way.

This life isn't about what others can do for you.. people will always disappoint you... basically, they won't be perfect.

So make up your mind that you will be kind and do things for others even if they never return the favor or notice your kind heart. When you get that mind set... you become a lot less sensitive to getting your feelings hurt but more sensitive on how you treat others as well.. because as hard as it is to realize.. we aren't perfect either.

The only person who will never let you down is Jesus... He is the only perfect one that you can lean on and will always hold you up. If you have a problem with having a bad attitude.. Ask the Lord to help you with that and to shape you into a more loving person. Just look at what He did for you. We should strive to be more like Him in our situations of everyday life. We treat God like dirt, yet He still cares for us no matter what we do or don't do for Him.

Do you have a Bad Attitude?

I do sometimes.

But today I thought I would share how I feel about this subject and kind of talk myself through how I should really be acting.... A little reality check.

Oh... and back to "just the way I am" thing.... Thank the Lord we have the Lord to make us different than "just the way we are" because without Him.. we could never be made whole. That very well may be "just the way you are"... but you can definitely change it.

Practice with me on having a Good Attitude today no matter what is thrown our way... and I hope you have a blessed weekend :)

Stay tuned... I am going to be working on a special Salsa recipe this weekend and posting that soon!! Can't wait! I have been craving salsa so bad!

Love,
Lindsay

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