#attitude shift

Always interesting to see who Dilton is with, as he shows up alongside different random girls in the background -- though in this case it appears he may be showing an interest and she as of now not.

Meaning for the color of "What?"?

I tend to turn towards being grateful for even being alive as a way to counteract the fear. I am grateful for music, for food, for video games, for cats – I have a lot to be grateful for, each day, and reflecting on it is good for the soul, even though it brings about that double-edged sword of thinking about all the things I’m going to lose.

The humility aspect is an interesting one I haven’t focused on much.

Humility, in general, is being able to accept both praise, and criticisms, because you are aware you are imperfect. It is a state of being wherein you can acknowledge both flaws and good qualities and take both without overstating one or the other. You don’t get too focused on the flaws, or the good things, and blow it out of proportion, in other words.

By practicing humility, you’re better able to acknowledge mortality because you recognize the imperfections of yourself. Of your health. Of changes. You also recognize the good things of it, too – don’t mistake me – but we don’t tend to see our back hurting in the morning because we slept wrong as a good thing. It’s probably easier to joke about it and take it in stride, while working to improve sleeping conditions.

Recognizing that it is a change and that you have to change with it.

That is humility to me – an attitude of change, and accepting change. I know that’s not really what it is, but without humility, you’re not going to change.

I had to accept my humility when caffeine started to impact me negatively. I didn’t want to. Oh, I didn’t want to! I was the person who could drink an entire pot of coffee and take a nap! My whole family is like that! But, it was making my heart race insanely, and I wasn’t falling asleep anymore.

I’ve taken it in stride since switching to decaf, and I can joke about that, and admit the way caffeine affects me. Some people do give me shit for it. It’s frustrating, the way anyone giving shit over someone for not eating gluten is, I imagine, but I’m learning to navigate it.

That’s a bit of an aside, but that’s how I see practicing humility. I also see it in my martial arts practices, and the willingness to keep trying, to keep getting better, and go when and as I can, as long as they’ll keep accepting me.

These two things, in theory, help with death anxiety. How? Part of it is, they lessen our defensive reaction to mortality reminders. When we see roadkill, when someone close to us dies, or death is brought up in another form that threatens to remind us we, too, are mortal, these things help us to cope with that and not react defensively, in a ‘threatened’ way, so to speak.

It’s part of an overall attitude shift, that I’ve been a proponent of, though in a way that’s not focused on exposure. This way, you work on being more grateful and humble, in general, not necessarily in relation to death. This can work you towards exposure.

So, how do you practice this?

You can make gratitude lists. That’s one way to start thinking of things you’re grateful for. On this list, make sure you include parts of you and your body. I’m grateful for how my fingers move so fast over a keyboard! I’m grateful for my eyes seeing the words! There’s something your body does, that you can find that’s good.

We all have several reasons to be grateful. But when we lose our sense of gratitude, we begin to grumble about our situation. You can’t be grateful and disgruntled at the same time.

The whole place tremored,the dust sprinkled down from the rafters,the revving from a furious machine ceased,and the door swung open crashing against the bell.I saw Monday bullying his way in front of the linelike a real Karen until he was behind Sunday.He gave me the eye as he rubbed the back of his tattooed hand.Kept smacking his lips.Kept looking at his wrists.Kept blowing air out of his…

Dear Me, You waste so much of your time complaining. You spend so much of it incessantly overthinking and asking the question why. Why this! Why that! Why am I in this situation? Why can’t I have a better life? Why are you in that situation???? Why isn’t your life any better???? YOU KEEP ASKING THE QUESTION “WHY” THAT’S WHY! How about “how” for a change? How can I get myself out of this…

Confessions of a Grateful Growing Human – Show Me The Money

Day 28

My relationship with money is complicated. The time has come for that to change. I’m grateful to be aware of the much needed shift, and look forward to having more money.

God, I wish it were that simple. I can intend on making more money appear, either by earning or acquiring, and envision the hell out of it, and wait to receive my fortune. But if I don’t clean up my attitude about it…

Confessions of a Grateful Growing Human – Imagine it Better

Day 11

I didn’t want to write tonight. I’ve manifested nothing but trouble the last few hours, based solely on my attitude (by my humble observation). I’m tired, and it’s my fault because I chose to stay up late. I’m ok with being imperfect and acting like a grumpy pants some days. I always shift back into a place of loving kindness and own up to my actions being less than stellar. But there was…

How A Positive Mental Attitude Can Always Help

When people think of a positive mental attitude they often think of Yes people, or people that are just always happy and excited for life. I do think that most people who think and act with positivity can across that way for some things but the excitement isn’t really what positivity is all about. Having a positive mental attitude does make you feel a bit more can-do, it can really help with…