Abraham Lincoln said, “We can complain because rose bushes have thorns, or rejoice because thorn bushes have roses.” 

It got me thinking. If you showed up at a friends house with a box of thorns, I guarantee the outcome would be different than if you went carrying an armful of roses.  They are both from the same bush.

It’s how you show up that matters. What do you bring to the situation at hand. A bad attitude (your box of thorns) will pinch you and cause you pain. Your roses can bring a smile to your face, the face of the recipient and raise your level of happiness.

The same goes for how the attitude you bring to any situation in life. You always have a choice. The pinchy thorns and the beautiful roses are both there for the taking. It’s up to you which one you choose.

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My personal trainer son, put me thru a workout the other day. It was very challenging. I wasn’t in the mood for the push. I practically cried like a baby through the whole thing. Not only did I cry (that probably would have been okay) but I bitched, and moaned and complained.

He commented in his annoyed that he does when any client gives him negativity. The point is that my  bad attitude did not make the workout any easier. It just made me struggle more. There was nothing pretty to look at so I was constantly trying to resist the thorns.  I would have been much more effective had I smiled through the workout thinking about those gorgeous roses.

My bad attitude has since been adjusted and here are 3 tips for making the adjustment.

1. PUT ON ROSE COLORED GLASSES… If you see the negative in something, flip it. What’s the opposite? FInd it, replace it and focus on it instead.

2. TURN UP THE CORNERS …. YES! The corners of your mouth. When you consciously and constantly do that, you’ll start laughing and you won’t even have to try anymore. Take notice often of what position your mouth is in throughout the day and make an adjustment.

3. REMEMBER WHAT MOM SAID… “If you have nothing nice to say, don’t say anything”. She was so right. Zip it up when something derogatory or negative is going to shoot out of it.  Allow the thought to come in but let it whisk right away as quickly as it came without giving it any energy to make a difference.

Yes, these simple tips will change what happens in any situation but when you show up and bring your best to the gym (or any situation) you leave have with a much more positive effective experience and more powerful results.

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