Strategies for Attitude Change

What is attitude? Do we actually know what the real meaning is? Most people misunderstand attitude as a person’s temperament or something related to ego. As people say, “He/She has a lot of attitude”. But only a few know what attitude actually means. So let me first clear what attitude actually means.

Attitude includes:

• How we feel about a person or situation.

• How we act in a given situation.

• What we believe and what is our viewpoint about a person or situation.

• It also portrays our mindset.

For example, passion for a sport, dislike for a certain actor.

Did You Konow There Are Different Types of Attitude?

• Positive attitude

• Negative attitude

• Neutral attitude

• Sikken attitude

What is a Positive Attitude?

A positive attitude has many benefits which affect other kinds of behaviour in a good way. People need to understand how much a positive attitude it takes to keep the work going and progressing. It means having a positive mindset and thinking about the greater good, no matter what the situation is. For example, a person with a positive attitude and mindset will look for the good in the other person, no matter how bad they behave or how bad their attitude is.

“A positive attitude brings strength, energy, motivation and initiative.”

What is a Negative Attitude?

A negative attitude is something that most of us should avoid but are not able to do so. Our first instinct in any situation is a negative mindset or a negative thought. People with a negative attitude generally avoid the good things in life and only think about whether they will fail or be rejected. As a result, they often escape and run away to avoid the tough situations in life.

“A negative attitude is like a flat tire. You can’t go anywhere until you change it.”

What do You Mean by Neutral Attitude?

A neutral Attitude is where the mindset is a neutral one, and there is no doubt, neither is there any hope. People generally tend to ignore the problems in life, and they wait for others to take care of their problems. They generally have a lazy attitude and are often less emotional. They never feel the need to change themselves as they can live the way they are.

“Silence is the best response to a Fool.”

What do You Mean by Sikken Attitude?

Sikken Attitude is the most harmful type. It has the potential to destroy every image that comes in connection with a positive image. This type of attitude is more negative and is very destructive. It often reflects the mind’s negativity. Therefore, it is essential to let go of such an attitude to better yourself and others around you.

“Bad attitudes will ruin your team.”

Do You Know How to Change Attitude? Some Attitude Changing Strategies Include...

1. Refuse to repeat the negative thought:

• Create awareness and try to find out the source of negative thoughts.

• Finding the source helps to stop it from further growing.

• Train yourself to stop at the first sign of negative thought and pause.

• Say yourself, “I am not going there..”

• Requires a lot of willpower.

• Requires deliberate turning from negative attitude or thought.

2. Choose to believe the truth over a negative attitude or feeling:

• Try to differentiate between how you feel and what is the truth.

• Try to understand it is your feeling that makes you feel bad.

• You don’t have to make it a negative attitude towards yourself.

• Say to yourself, “It’s just how I feel. I am not actually a bad person”.

• Try pausing yourself and stop turning feelings into negative thoughts.

3. Remember to speak as kindly to yourself as you speak to others:

• Sound’s simple, right? It is easier when parents teach this to children.

• “Treat them as you want to be treated.”

• People often teach others about the above but forget to implement it on themselves.

• Ask yourself, “What I think about self, is it actually true?”

• “Someone who knows me well would he/she have the same thoughts?”

• “Would someone else feel good if I would say such things to them aloud?”

• “Is it necessary for me to think in such a way?”

These questions would help one’s thinking and feeling a lot and help in change their mindset and attitude.

4. Find a reason for which you can be thankful:

I know this is the most difficult ones to do. Many of us cannot find a reason to be thankful for a certain situation and cannot think with a positive attitude about the situation. Carrying a positive attitude in a negative situation is rare and difficult to do, but not impossible.

Example

Situation:

In the current situation of COVID-19, everyone is locked in their home and can rarely move out.

Positive Thinking

• “I spent time with my family.”

• “I got a break from work.”

• “I play with my kids.”

• “I came closer to my family.”

• “I helped in household chores.”

• “I feel calm and composed.”

• “I have some ME TIME.”

Negative Thinking

• “I got fired.”

• “I want to go out.”

• “I can’t do anything.”

• “I don’t have enough income.”

• “I need peace.”

• “I can’t handle the lockdown.”

• “I don’t have much work.”

Similarly, we need to train our minds to think and react with a positive attitude rather than a negative one in each situation.