Attitude Is Not Absolute

Story by Broadside Opinion Columnist Scott Mason

The notion that attitude is everything is possibly the truest idea known to man. I mean, attitude isn’t absolute, because that’s another discussion entirely, but I do believe attitude plays a major role in how we live, view and survive each and every day, from the moment we wake up, to even the depths of our dreams. If you awaken every day believing that what will happen is the result of the scum of the earth rising up and beating you, then you will more than likely have a terrible day. With the right attitude, you could fall in a mud puddle and say, “Well, I had to do laundry anyway.”

Even the worries we have about life, including where we will work once we graduate, who we want to date, will I ever get out of school, who will I spend my life with, pale in the light of a positive attitude.

Granted I’m not saying that you need to be happy every day. Happiness is entirely circumstantial, or simply, happiness is a result of happenings. However, in each of us lies a joy for life that begs to be awakened. This joy is the will to live, to be here on earth and nowhere else. It is this joy that persevere day to day. It may get covered up with the dirt and grime of this world, but it is still there as long as we are alive. Some days it may shine through more than on other days, but it’s still there, you just have to realize it. This is not just wishful thinking either, but a lifestyle choice. You have to choose to realize it and choose to use this joy every day or you will be no better off than if you had not gotten out of bed that day.

Some of us seem to have covered up attitude of joy beyond where we can see it for one reason or another; many people have theirs covered for very legitimate reasons. Some cases are the result of people unloading their garbage onto other people. Others have covered their attitude in protection so that no one can harm them. Many of us take the garbage of others and just spread it around with our own in order to make others feel the way we do. To say the least, this has got to stop.

Instead of just uncovering themselves from their garbage, a lot of our peers just try to make the garbage smell better with escapes, fillers and put-downs because some people don’t feel or do as they do. Those who indulge in these escapes place themselves in a self-perpetuating cycle, spiraling downwards to a crash. There are people who officially require medication to overcome the bad in each day, and it is rightfully so that they should receive it, but in this day and age it seems that many of us, especially students, self-medicate way too often.

As students, so much of our lives change every day. To be dumping our crap on others, when we have no idea what might be going on with them, is the worst thing we could ever do. If we took each day with the attitude that “this is my day and if something happens to me, then so what there is always tomorrow,” then we could live our lives in the most positive and efficient manner. Of course, we should care about what happens to other people, but we can’t let that affect how we live, and also we shouldn’t ignore things when they don’t turn out the way we think. Yet, if we could all just respect one another and respect ourselves by honoring the joy that resides in each of us, then this hectic college life would become a whole lot easier.

This kind of positive attitude transcends religion, creed or political persuasion. There are a ton of things going on in this world that makes it seem terrible and cold, but with the right attitude and spirit you can find comfort in everything that you do to make it just a little bit better. To have an attitude of hope for good, honesty and faith can take the edge off of the worst days if you only try. So, take heed to the Monty Python song “Always Look on the Bright Side of Life.” Let your goodwill and joy for life shine through. It just might make your world, and everyone else’s, just a little brighter.