How to develop a positive mental attitude

In current times, a positive mental attitude (PMA) is super hard to maintain, especially given that restrictions on most of our ‘normal’ daily lives are in place through nobodies fault.

BUT…a PMA is something which many people have struggled to get their arms around for one reason or another. For me, I guess I was brought up to just deal with the blows that life deals you. What I’m saying is, I seem to find it much easier to maintain a PMA than most, and I want to try explain how I (mostly) achieve it.

Firstly, I believe there are two attitudes people generally revert to when adversity strikes.

ONE: The ‘Why me?’ attitude.

The ‘why me?’ attitude is always the one a human-being defaults to, initially. Even me. The period of time a person is in this attitude state varies from person to person, and depends further on the adverse event that has taken place. A great example of this is the passing of a loved one. A period of mourning is to be expected and encouraged, where thoughts and feeling often swirl in a chaotic fashion. Plans that were in place that involved that person go out of the window, the realisation of never being able to make plans with that person again sets in, and you must come to terms with that in one way or another. The ‘why me?’ attitude in this instance will likely last a long time, understandably, although most people eventually come to terms and remember their passed loved ones for all their positive features.

‘Why me?’ thinkers often have it down to bad luck that has befallen them. “It wasn’t my fault I had that car accident”. “I was in the wrong place at the wrong time”. “If only I didn't [insert stupid action here]”.

Basically, ‘why me?’-ers take no responsibility for their actions. Nothing can be their fault and if fault is difficult to place on someone other than themselves, they chalk it down to bad luck. What’s Lady Luck ever done to you?! You make your own luck in this world.

People in this attitude state will moan about the adversity that has befallen them, groan about the pain it’s causing them and consequently sulk about it, milking every drop of attention out of it form their friends, family, work colleagues and just about anyone who will listen or is forced to listen…