We’ve all heard of people who have had the same negative experience, but one person gets better…the other person gets bitter. A person’s attitude is everything! That is the “A” in the ABCs of Self-Management. Regardless of what happens to us in life, we need to strive for an optimistic attitude. The “B” in the ABC’s is to “be in charge” of our life. We need to do what we can about our issue and have faith that it will work out, no matter what. It takes courage and commitment to change. Those are the “Cs” in the ABCs of Self-Management.

A balanced life is the result of positive mental habits. To make any lasting change in our outer life, we must first change our thoughts…our inner life. Negative thought habits can be very difficult to change, just like any bad habit.

Steps to Changing Negative Thought Patterns

1. Remember the power of our words. Eliminate words like “can’t,” “won’t,” and “failure.” The language you use influences the way you think. Use words like “I can” or “I will.”

2. Remember to perform at least one unselfish act per day. It’s like throwing a boomerang. All acts – positive or negative will eventually come back to us. Something as simple as offering a listening ear to a co-worker is a good start.

3. Stay away from chronic complainers and other negative people. You might have to ask the negative person, “Did anything good happen to you today?” Try to get them on a cheerful subject and don’t wallow in their misery with them. Be the person that is optimistic and positive. And always remember a cheerful heart is like good medicine.

4. List the traits, habits, attitudes, and skills that exemplify “the ideal you.” After making the list, make every effort to become the person you want to be.

The people who have balanced lives pay attention to their mental, spiritual, physical, financial and social habits. Sometimes, changing a habit can be very difficult, but the benefits are worth it.

Remaining positive can be a challenge, especially when we hear all of the negative news. Bad things can happen to good people. But ironically, we tend to learn more from the challenges in our lives. That’s when the opportunity for greatest growth can occur!