A positive attitude is a great leadership skill to have.  It is also one of the great teachings of Jesus Christ known as the Beatitudes from His sermon on the mount.  Happiness is the desire of most people, and these attitudes help a person to truly be happy.  Dr. Robert Schuller renamed these principles as the “Be-Happy Attitudes.” The other well-known example often cited by people is the little book, “The Little Engine That Could.”  

    Having a positive outlook can make others happy because it is very contagious.  Yet, even a good thing can be hurtful if overdone!  Sometimes, optimists can say the wrong thing at the wrong time.  When someone is really hurting, empathy is needed, not a pep talk.

    Here are Dr. Schuller’s ideas based upon Jesus’ Beatitudes.  

    1) “I need help – I can’t do it alone.” We can acknowledge our weakness and ask for help.

    2) “I’m really hurting – but I’m going to bounce back!” “Never look at what you have lost …Look at what you have left.”

    3) “I’m going to remain calm, cool, and corrected.”  This is possible if we remember the word used by Jesus: meek.  M –mighty; E – emotionally stable; E – educable; K – kind.  A good self-guide might be, “I’d rather change my mind…and succeed then have my own way…and fail.”

    4) “I really want to do the right thing.”  It is saying no to the negatives or doing less than our best.  It is saying yes to the good and healthy things.  As the Little engine said over and over, “I think I can!  I think I can!”

    5) “I’m going to treat others the way I want others to treat me.”  This teaching is also known as the Golden Rule.  “Give a little, you get a little back.  Give a lot, you get a lot back.  This is the law of proportionate return.”

    6) “I’ve got to let the faith flow through me.”  “In the presence of hope – faith is born.  In the presence of faith – love becomes a possibility!  In the presence of love – miracles happen!”

    7) “I’m going to be a bridge builder.”  “God loves you – and so do I” …a prescription for peacemaking.”  

    8) “I can choose to be happy – anyway!”  Dr. Smiley Blanton, psychiatrist, said to a client, “If only – that’s your problem!  You keep repeating those words, ‘If only I had…’  ‘If only I hadn’t…’  My prescription for you is to strike those words from your life!  Replace them with the words, ‘next time…’’ ‘next time things are going to be different.’”

    This rephrase of the Beatitudes is a great book to read.  It can really help people who are not naturally positive to think about their emotions and to do something about it.  If you would like to read more, the ISBN number is 0-8499-0363-7.         

-          Kay