What is this spirit and attitude thing?  Is the S.O.B. outlook so different than anyone else’s?  You bet!!

If you wake up with a smile on your face, joy in your heart and energy and enthusiasm in your step—you’re one of us.  If you pull yourself along with sleepiness in your body, despair in your soul and no one to share with, then you need to become one of us.

Make up your mind here and now you will only think positive thoughts and no matter what gets in your way, you can cope and handle it.  Did you know that five minutes of negative thinking takes 24 hours to recover from?  Are you around negative people?  Although you can’t eliminate all negativity from your life, S.O.B.’s have a way of letting these people take only minor time and thought processes from them.  When you surround yourself with folks who are motivating, enthusiastic and happy, you become the same way.

There’s a thin line between conceit and confidence.  Conceit is when you believe you’re the only one who can do something, and confidence is when you know that you do a very good job at what you’re attempting.  Confidence can never be replaced and conceit needs to be totally eliminated from your vocabulary. 

Your goal needs to be what I have used as a motto my entire life.  BE THE BEST YOU CAN BE.  Don’t ever compare yourself with anyone else, and do the best job that is possible for you at the time.  If you practice that, you’ll always be at the top of your game.  Never compare yourself with someone else—that’s not a win. 

It’s great to have role models and try to emulate your heroines, but you are you, and need to accept yourself for who you are.  There will always be someone who is taller, slimmer, richer or luckier than you are.  That doesn’t mean you can’t live a full, exciting, happy, stimulating and successful life.  Envy does no one any good.

Wanting to achieve, having a role model, using your influence for the good, and giving to the less fortunate are all positives and make you feel terrific.  When you look in the mirror do you see a “neat lady?”  When you are happy with you, you can really start appreciating everyone else. 

Part of attitude is how you go about your day.  Ask yourself, “What did I accomplish today?  For fun and for myself?”   This is your time, S.O.B.’s, and if you started with a fresh slate right now, what would you like to accomplish in terms of impact.  Would you start a new career, become a mentor or role model for someone younger than yourself, move to an entirely new area?

Enjoy the present, learn from the past and plan for the future.

©2006 Dr. Gayle Carson, CSP, CMC to read more about Gayle, click here  http://www.womenofwisdom.com/GayleCarson.htm