Changing My Attitude
When my husband and I were relocated to Fort Stewart from Germany this summer I didn’t know that I would repeat my autumn PCS woes again until just recently. Military moves can do that to a person. I was feeling down about not making those good friendships like I made at our last duty station. I haven’t been working out as much as I told myself I would. And, I felt like I was just stuck in a rut.
This may also have something to do with my 30th birthday that is approaching quicker than I had anticipated. It got me thinking, as most deadlines do, about who I am, what I am, and who I would like to be. Those are questions that a professor once asked during a class and I liked them so much that I kept them for a long time on a sticky note, stuck to a mirror, so I would have to look at them every day.
Since I am the only person that can change my attitude about who I am, I realized that I needed to start focusing on my needs, not in a selfish way, but a way that makes me feel better about who I am right now, so that I can become the person I want to be.
Each day I am going to try my hardest to wake up at a decent time (when I don’t feel good about myself I tend to sulk in bed longer that I should) and tell myself to “have a great day.” I know it may sound cheesy, but it has worked when I have done it. The days that I told myself to have a great day, I have felt better about who I was and it turned out I got a lot more done around the house rather than sitting on my butt watching old episodes of Parks and Recreation thinking I should go to the park near my house more often.
Thinking positively about the upcoming day has helped give me a better attitude all around. I feel like I am a better military spouse when I am honest about who I am -- a person who struggles with healthy choices. I know that one day I won’t have to think about it and it will come to me like second nature, but until then I will have to remind myself.
Even though telling yourself corny sayings or writing them on a sticky note that you post to your bathroom mirror sounds silly, it has worked for me.
What works for you? Maybe I will give it a try, I can use all the help I can get.