Attitudes and altitude

I have a huge framed poster on my office wall of a plane flying upward through a bright blue cloudless sky leaving a white jet stream behind. The caption reads Your Attitude Determines Your Altitude. It's one of my favorite motivation phrases and I probably look at it a dozen times a day for affirmation. It's also one of the first things you see when you sit down in my office and the positioning of the poster is intentional.

It doesn't really take all that much to have a positive attitude. It does, however, take some work to stay positive, especially with so much suffering and turmoil in our world right now. Here are a few tips to help you keep a healthy attitude:

-Start your day with a prayer. Praise the Lord for all that you have instead of worrying about what you don't have.

-Promise yourself that you will make a difference in just one person's life each day.

-Take a few minutes to read something inspirational everyday.

-Don't dwell on negative news.

-If something is not right in your life fix it if you can and if you can't move on.

-Be an encourager to others.

-Keep the company of other positive people.

-Enjoy a sunset with someone you love.

Regardless of whether you are trying to move up the career ladder or be a better stay-at-home mom having a good attitude will make you a better person and inspire others.

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Hope is alive

One would have to be a true believer in President Bill Clinton to reap the hope that he continues to pitch. This would be impossible for Clinton bashers on the right or those on the left who will never forgive Bill Clinton (or just plain disliked him to start with) . . . but for me . . . it lifts my heart to hear this man speak of hope for peace, hope for the ill, hope for the poor, hope for our economy, environment, and hope for all religions to work together for understanding and prosperity (not wealth mind you, but prosperity) for the world as a whole. We are now a global society and even if we are the greatest nation on this earth (which we are and always will be), we should learn that nothing can be fixed within one country or by one country, ever again.

When Bill Clinton was president I once said to a friend that President Clinton was a people's advocate, a mediator, an ambassador and that is what made him a good president. My friend replied that those are not part of a president's job description . . . that a president is a leader and a commander. I disagree. George W. Bush is a leader and a commander . . . and even if he were the most gentle of men, I find, that he comes across as being arrogant and I feel he has brought that tag to the United States of America.

The Clinton Global Initiative that met this weekend is a beginning effort to invite others to share in the responsibility for our world on a voluntary basis. We can criticise the effort or we can pray that it will make a difference. I pray for Mr. Bush even when I don't agree with him.

As a Christian I know that God will remain in control. I am praying that he will lead the CGI in their search and solutions in making the world a better place for all people.

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Happiness is in the eye of the beholder

In five more minutes MST (my standard time) it will be Friday . . . good ole TGIF! Every Monday I start the week out with an overwhelming feeling of I can't get it all done, I'll never get caught up . . . only to find on Friday . . . that it's done and I am caught up!! Then over the weekend my mind rests enough to start thinking about what all there is to do next week and the whole cycle starts all over again, plus I waste a good weekend worrying about it.

I often think about people who by choice do manual labor, drive a car that is twenty years old, come home fall asleep on the sofa watching TV, and get up the next morning and do it all over again. People who are happier than most of us will ever be . . . really. They love their lives, enjoy what they do or don't do and have no goals for changing their lifestyle in the future because they are happy . . . even content.

Then, I question myself as to why I can't be that type of person. Why, regardless of what I accomplish, I have to think of what my next challenge will be and how or what I can do to top what I just did? Why can't I just tread a little water in life instead of constantly plunging ahead? My mind lives in a state of constant motion and lately my body is having a hard time keeping up.

Kudos to all the hard workers out there who are content with any job they have, with only wanting and needing a roof over their heads, food on the table, and a remote control that works. These are not disadvantaged people . . . they are happy people . . . and I admire them.

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New horizons

I have accomplished two amazing things so far this week. On Tuesday I had an opportunity to fly in a helicopter (up front with the pilot) and today I think I finally have my blog started (not real sure on the blog thing yet). So, two things I have always wanted to do . . . and both in the same week.

The chopper ride was awesome! Getting up into the chopper was a little more work for someone who is not grace at work. But I made it . . . and getting out was a lot faster. I actually thought about the people rescued by helicopter in New Orleans last week and how difficult it must be for the rescue workers to get someone inside when they are dangling from a rope. My pilot had a hard time getting me in and we were setting on the ground. It's amazing that they didn't lose anyone in New Orleans in the process.

I teach a continuing education class on organizing (Decluttering "If you don't use it, lose it") at the local community college. Tonight I had a great group of students, most of whom were my age. We spend the first part of our lives accumulating things and the last part trying to get rid of them. Go figure.

Two major airlines filed bankruptcy today. This should be interesting to watch unfold.

The hurricane victims are still fresh on all our minds and in our prayers, but I wonder how long it will take us to move on and quickly forget the tragedy and those families that will never be the same. I hope we won't forget any time soon. For once, we all seem to have one thing in common regardless of who we are or what our preferences are . . . and that is to help the people of Katrina.

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