Attitude IS Everything!

Today was one of those days that I just couldn't seem to get motivated, focused on anything, couldn't seem to move forward. I'm sure you've had them before, I would have to think we all have at one point or another. So many things on my 'To Do' list and none of them were anything I wanted to do so that made things seem even less productive.


First off, I needed to take care of some overdue bills and anyone that is remotely familiar with my situation these days will know that that's easier said than done. The collapse of the Real Estate Market has more or less wiped me out, to say the least. And finding a 'regular' job of any sort has been equally as difficult. Not that I've completely given up on finding one but it has caused me to look in other directions for a source of income. Combine all that with my currently very shaky living 'situation' and it all adds up to many sleepless nights. In fact, I saw a friend of mine yesterday that commented on how tired I looked. Normally this would kinda bug me but I couldn't argue with her, I can't remember the last time I slept more than four hours straight and it's been years really since I had a good nights sleep. But lately it's just been really out of control. Just so much on my mind that my head just won't stop thinking about anything and everything, all night long.


So after looking at the numerous emails sitting in my Inbox, I chose to tackle a few other things instead. Let's see if we can take care of a few of these other bills. Postpone this, payment plan on that, ignore these, put this one, no these three on hold 'till next week and so on and so forth. Down the list we go. Let's make a few calls here and see what I can do about a few others that have been haunting me. "Hmmm, what's goin' on here? Is something wrong with my Cell phone?" No dial tone. Turns out it's been shut off for lack of payment. Can they do that? I guess they can, because they did. Sweet, add the $36 reactivation fee on top of it and looks like a great way to start the day. NOT!


Ok, so got my phone back in action but of course that meant another bill had to go on the 'postpone 'till next week' list. Hmmm, who can I put off 'till later that I haven't already put off until now which is actually later considering it was originally overdue such a long time ago? Jeez, no wonder my head is swimming. How am I ever gonna catch up? I'm so far behind now, it's not lookin' good. But I'm not a quitter and so I just have to keep going forward, one stupid bill at a time until somehow they are all paid off. Eventually I'll catch up, just gotta continue to believe.


And that's when I got to thinkin'. Thinking about a quote that I used to have posted on the wall above my computer, next to my Vision Board. Yes, I keep a Vision Board because it helps me to stay focused on my goals, what I plan on achieving in my life. Hmmm, now where'd it go, what could have happened to it? Since I lost my Condo a few months ago, I've kinda lost track of alot of 'things' as I wasn't given much notice and so I was forced in to a rather hasty move. Then it occured to me that at some point I had saved it in a folder on my computer. But where? A little bit of searching and voila, there it was.

"The longer I live, the more I realize the impact of attitude on life. Attitude, to me is more important than facts. It is more important than the past, than education, than money, than circumstances, than failures, than successes, than what other people think or say or do. It is more important than appearance, giftedness or skill. It will make or break a company... a Church... a home. The remarkable thing is we have a choice every day regarding the attitude we will embrace for that day. We cannot change our past. We cannot change the inevitable. The only thing we can do is play on the one string we have, and that is our attitude. I am convinced that life is 10% of what happens to me and 90% of how I react to it. And so it is with you... we are all in charge of our Attitudes."

I don't have any idea who to credit with writing it, somebody famous I assume but as I read it [for the 1000th time] I slowly began to remember why I liked it so much. I instantly began to feel rejuvinated, refocused. Moving away from the 'bad stuff' of the day and heading off in another direction. More of a positive direction, a feeling of new hope, that perhaps it's ok to look forward to a brighter future. There will always be bills, bumps in the road, that's just a part of life and that will never end. But maybe I will have a way of tackling them a bit easier, all while I'm living a life I enjoy, a life I'm passionate about. The life of MY dreams.


I mean, who's to say I can't? While others can and will try to keep us down, hold us back from living our lives as we see fit, it's up to us to truly be happy or not. Only we can hold ourselves back from our burning desires. No one else knows what we want out of life and so it's up to each one of us to get out there, follow our dreams and to travel the life path of our choosing. Like they say, this is no dress rehearsal, no practice session. This is our one and only chance to truly do everything we ever wanted and to live our lives without regrets.


So, like Tim McGraw was singing this morning on the Today Show, "Live like you were dying" and to be honest, I couldn't agree more. Attitude is everything.