Just Be Thankfulpositivetranceformations.com.au

Being positive and having a good attitude goes a long way to avoiding problems with anxiety and depression.

Sure, sometimes there is a medical or physical reason behind these mental problems, but a lot of times, it’s all down to the mind and to the way that you think.

Often, the mind does need re-training (which is one of the things that hypnotherapy aims to do) to see the world through glasses that see glasses as being half full rather than half empty.

Gratitude is one of the things that helps you stay positive: turning your mind onto what’s going right in the world rather than what’s wrong with it usually does.

If you have a grateful attitude, then you’re more likely to stay cheerful no matter what your circumstances.

The reverse is also true:

you can find people who live in cushy circumstances who are always miserable in spite of what they have because they focus on all the things that don’t go right.

Cultivating an “attitude of gratitude” is something that takes time, especially if you have had a habit of complaining and focusing on the negative in the past.

Try this little quiz to see how your attitude rates.

Q1: It’s Monday and you really don’t feel like going to work thanks to a bad cold that isn’t quite bad enough for take the day off. What is your response?

A: Cram in a few aspirins to get through the day and look forward to collapsing at home once the day’s over. At least you have a job…

B: Feel sorry for yourself but promise yourself a bit of a treat at lunchtime as a way of cheering yourself up.

C: Grumble about it and drag yourself to work cursing your luck.

Q2: You notice that you’ve been putting on a bit of weight lately. How do you respond?

A: Well, you’ve got an excuse to go clothes shopping now, haven’t you?

B: Shrug it off as an inevitable result of too much partying.

C: Get angry at yourself and resolve to have no pudding for the next month as well as making sure that you hit the gym daily.

Q3: Christmas is looming and you’re going to be hosting the family dinner. You haven’t bought any presents yet. Your response?

A: Look forward to spending time with your family.

B: Panic a bit and make lists of everything you have do to and who you have to buy presents for.

C: Sympathise with Scrooge and the Grinch and wonder why you ever volunteered to host the do. You vow never to do so again.

Q4: It’s Saturday and it looks like a tornado has hit the inside of the house. You had hoped to go out to watch a sports match in the morning. What do you do?

A: Put on some music and get stuck in – it isn’t that much to do and then you’ve to the match to look forward to.

B: Do the main things and then go off to the match, although you know that the work awaiting you will nag at your mind while you’re watching.

C: Grumble as you begin to tidy up – and you won’t be surprised if the job takes so long that you end up missing the start of the match.

Q5: A friend phones you up needing help for the third time this month. You agree to help him/her but how do you respond inside?

A: Feel flattered that your friend trusts you and relies on you so much – you must be doing something right.

B: Wonder what on earth’s up with this friend to make him/her so disaster-prone.

C: Wonder if you have “doormat” tattooed on your forehead – you’re being taken advantage of again.

Q6: Your daughter has beautiful long hair and she’s woken up with it all matted and tangled. What action do you take?

A: Make her have a shower and put conditioner through her hair, which will make her hair glossy as well as easier to tangle – it looks so pretty when it’s groomed.

B: Roll your eyes and get on with the job of brushing and combing – or make her do it herself.

C: Make a booking with the hairdresser for that afternoon – you’re not putting up with this any longer.

Q7: The traffic’s heavy and you’re slowed to a crawl on the way home. How do you respond?

A: Turn up the radio and sing along, as well as taking some time for a few deep breathing exercises and the like.

B: The next time you come to a standstill, you use your cellphone to text your family to say that you’ll be late home.

C: Feel your blood pressure rising and think up insults to call all your fellow drivers, even if you never actually say them.

Q8: Your significant other is going to be away for the weekend. You know that you’ll miss him/her but how else do you feel?

A: You look forward to getting the bed to yourself and eating all those things that you love but he/she doesn’t.

B: Distract yourself from missing him/her by going out with your friends and reading books.

C: Wonder why on earth you’ve been stuck at home doing all the chores again and hope like mad that he/she doesn’t play around while they’re away.

Q9: You had planned on going out for a run this morning but it’s pouring with rain. What do you do next?

A: Go for the run anyway – it’s fun having the path to yourself and letting yourself stamp in puddles like a child again. You’re going to get changed later, so getting wet doesn’t matter.

B: Shudder and decide to work out indoors and/or just skip exercise for today.

C: Roll your eyes and wonder how much flab you’re going to put on during the wet season this year.

Q10: Which of the following would you be most likely to choose as a bumper sticker or a T-shirt slogan.

A: Every cloud has a silver lining.

B: This too shall pass.

C: Life’s a bitch and then you die.

Your score:

Mostly As:

Your friends probably call you Pollyanna. You don’t need any help learning to be more grateful. You could probably teach the rest of us a few things about having a good positive attitude.

Mostly Bs:

Your responses are typical for most people. You can improve your attitude by choosing to focus on the positive things rather than the negative. How about starting a journal or diary and listing all the things that you’re grateful for in one day – six is a good number to start with for you.

Mostly Cs:

You might need a bit of help to get that chip off your shoulder. It’s going to start hurting you physically as well as affecting your relationships and your mood. Start small: write down one thing that’s gone right or that you’ve enjoyed or that you’re glad you have every day. Just one. Other things may spring to mind. Want to write down more? Go ahead!

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