Thinking Positive

By MAD21

How do you create a positive attitude in your family's day-to-day life?

I recently read an article in Body and Soul Magazine that had some really great ideas that were sent in by readers to try with your family that help build strong relationships and help us to have a better overall attitude in our daily lives. Here were a few of them:

Create a "Simple Pleasures Journal" where you write five things you were grateful for at the end of each day. My family already does something similar. We have each of our two young daughters tell us a few things that made them happy that day, and then we thank God for each of them (this is especially important on those bad days). We also talk about the 'things that made them sad.' It validates their feelings over things that happened during the day, and then gives us an opportunity to pray for them as well. I thought the journal idea was a good one. I've been looking for a way cultivate a good quiet time as our kids grow up. This will be a good start.

Start a "Gratitude Box." This can be done as a family or just between husband and wife. Get a box (which would be fun to decorate with the kids), a small note pad and a pen and put it somewhere prominent in the house (kitchen, living room, etc.). Everytime you feel grateful about something that someone did, you write it down on the piece of paper and put it into the box. You can decide how often and when the box is opened and the notes are read. You could do it once a week, or at the end of each day, perhaps during dinner.

"Give Me Two!" This is a good one for everyone. Every time someone says something negative about someone, they then have to say two positive things. It's kind of interesting to even do this to yourself. Anytime you are in a situation where you say something negative, try making yourself then say two positive things.

You know, sometimes it's the simple things that make life so much better. How does it make you feel when someone does something for you for no reason at all, and without being asked? Say you've had a terrible day, and you stop at the grocery store and someone smiles at you and lets you go in line first.. something that simple can sometimes just turn the whole day around. Think about how often you can do that for someone else.

What are some things you and your family do to create positive attitudes?