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As part of my continuing mission to bring you the best information to empower your life as a parent, here is Step Two in my Parenting and the Art of Change series. Tom V. Morris shared excellent ideas about mastering the first step in the Art of Change and Creative Adaptation in Parenting and the Art of Change: Step One.
Step two is the Art of Positive Action:
“Once you’ve gathered yourself within, once you’ve decided not to rush to judgment, to value the right things and to use your imagination well, what do you do? The philosophers have said, number one, “Govern your attitudes.” “Attitude is everything,” Cicero said in the ancient world.
If we approach situations with a positive attitude, it’s amazing how obstacles can sometimes melt away. Attitude is the start. Attitude sets the tone. If we will take charge of our attitudes, and we can; we don’t just have to be reactive in life. We can choose the attitudes we indulge, the attitudes we bring to a situation. Sometimes, it takes a little deep breathing, a little reminding yourself of what’s important.
I do what people call smile therapy. I grin like an idiot until the endorphins are released to my brain, and I have a positive attitude in a difficult situation. The philosophers have said that attitude is incredibly important.
Then, you need to look for opportunities. In every situation, however chaotic, however tumultuous; there are opportunities to move forward in a positive way. You might have been given some bad news. You might be temporarily victimized by this economy. There are always opportunities to move forward. You have to get creative like a detective; you have to investigate, but if you don’t give up, you’ll find ways to move forward in a positive direction.
Thirdly, the great philosophers have said to govern your attitude, look for opportunities, and then take initiative. The way we deal with change best is to keep moving. We can’t just hunker down and hope the storm will pass. We have to take positive initiative. That’s such an important part of the art of positive action, and is such an important part of the art of change.”
As I see it, by actively choosing to set the tone for each day’s journey with a positive attitude, I put myself in the best possible mindset to steer my own life. None of us can be in control of everything, but having a healthy attitude puts me in a position to steer in the direction that will make a positive difference in my life, and the lives of everyone around me. I’d love to hear your thoughts as comments on this blog!
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Parenting and the Art of Change: Step One Adapting to change is a huge part of our life as parents. On a recent interview with American philosopher Tom V. Morris on The Mommy-Muse Is In, we opened up a treasure trove of wisdom from the philosophers of the past about how to deal with change. Tom says the...... -
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Parenting and the Art of Change: Step Three Grandparent (and remarkable philosopher!) Tom V. Morris, is overflowing with great ideas for creative adaptation in our lives. On a recent interview on The Mommy-Muse Is In: Empowering Your Journey into Motherhood, Tom shared essential elements on the Art of Change. Today's focus is on the third aspect, the Art...... -
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The Seven Cs of Parenting Success: Part One As promised in Parenting and The Art of Change: Step Three, here are essential "Cs" of Parenting Success. Extraordinary philosopher Tom V. Morris shared his parenting wisdom on The Mommy-Muse Is In: Empowering Your Journey into Motherhood. These are universal conditions for doing anything successfully, with a special focus on......
