How to Change Your Attitude Instantly

Imagine you’re at work and the boss really rubs you wrong. Or you are on the way to an important meeting or social event and another driver really upsets you. You can’t afford to have the wrong attitude, but you don’t know how to overcome the trauma you experienced. You won’t be at your best unless you can turn yourself around immediately.

Instructions

Difficulty: Challenging

1. Take an inventory of your feelings and admit to yourself you lost control. Then take responsibility for allowing someone or something else to dominate you against your will.
2. Squeeze out a positive thought even if you think it’s going to kill you. Forgive whoever wronged you, for example. Acknowledge that you have done the same thing to someone else, or something equally offensive. Forgive yourself for that offense.
3. Say something nice. Talk to someone. Get out your cell phone and call someone close to you and tell him how much you appreciate him. Say something nice to a stranger. Don’t even notice how she reacts. You are doing this for you, so let it rip and don’t be shy, but make sure it’s nice. No matter how she reacts, she is just a prop in your play, so keep your mind on your words, not on her reaction.
4. Do as many kind and considerate little actions as you can. Open the door for someone. Show extra courtesy to another driver or pedestrian. Pick up some litter and throw it in the trash receptacle. Give some money to a beggar.