I went to a hockey game the other night. And I talked with some people around me. And one thing I noticed is that because they were drinking beer, their breath was kind of nasty. I guess if you drink beer you don’t notice it. But I did. And I could smell it even when they weren’t talking. Their breath preceded them.
This morning, I had the opportunity to talk to employees of a local business. And part of what I talked about is really resonating in me right now. It’s about attitude. The attitude we carry often precedes us. Just like nasty beer breath, if our attitude is bad, it will jump out ahead of us. If we are angry or frustrated, it will show before we ever speak. And in the same way, if we have a great attitude, even in the worst situations, it will precede us.
Having a great attitude takes work. It is easy to be negative and snarky and cynical. I can be the king of negative when I want to be. But being positive and encouraging and happy really requires me to look past what is around me and decide to have that right attitude.
