In July, I had the pleasure of attending the IAAP Educational Forum and Annual Meeting (EFAM) in Montreal, Canada. It was a wonderful conference filled with great workshops, educational materials, and awesome speakers. One speaker, Sam Glenn, also known as the "Attitude Guy" gave a presentation based on his book, A Kick in the Attitude. Not only was he hilarious, but he made some statements that were very enlightening about how to adjust your attitude in any situation.
Here are some ways to lose the 'tude:
- Ask yourself questions.
People always say that it is odd to talk to yourself. My theory is that this is the FIRST person you should be asking questions to- yourself! Self talk is therapeutic. It's a good time to internally rationalize about situations before making decisions. When you are feeling attitudinal ask yourself the following:
- Why do I feel this way?
- What has the offender done to me? What did I do to the offender?
- What can be done to make me feel better?
- Remove yourself from the environment for a period of time
In his book, Sam talks about what he likes to do to kick his attitude. He mentions going for a walk, calling a friend, or even prank phone calling his relatives (hey, whatever works and makes you and someone else laugh, which leads to the next point).
- Laugh.
Laughter is considered the best medicine for the mind and body. Helpguide.org says that laughter is an antidote for stress, pain, and conflict. Laughter does the following:
- Relaxes the body
- Boosts the immune system
- Releases endorphins
- Protects the heart
A kick in the attitude is another way of recharging your batteries- a way to get rid of the negativity. The overall message – Lighten and brighten up!
