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ATTITUDES ABOUT SELF What value do you place on yourself? This is the self-esteem issue that is the biggest, single factor in a woman's health. With a healthy attitude about self, it follows that you will eat nourishing food, protect yourself from harm, as well as support yourself emotionally, physically and spiritually. When you value yourself, you will also value others. You can always benefit from a boost in self-esteem. Think about what you would do, or not do, if you placed a greater value on yourself.
ATTITUDES ABOUT OTHERS
Acceptance of self makes it possible to have healthy attitudes about other people. Do you generally accept other people or do you think they should be different. This attitude is a big one when you consider all the people in this world, and all the people in your life. People who like and trust others are more relaxed, have better relationships and are healthier than those people who find fault, are untrusting, and distance themselves from others. Negative emotions, misspent energy, and tension take a toll on your health.
ATTITUDES ABOUT LIFE
Acceptance of life as it is makes life more pleasant and enjoyable. How do you see life? Is it miserable, challenging, delightful or hard? This attitude frames how you go through life. How do you view life?
- With a rosy glow? Or dismal gray fog?
- With clarity and acceptance?
- With anger, resentment or numbness?
If you accept life as it is, you are going to be a happier person. Events in life can be delightful, some boring and some very painful. This is how life is. Wanting life to be different doesn't make it happen. There are many things in life you can create and change. Being proactive is accepting reality and changing what you can.
If you fight and resist what life brings you, you are going to be a miserable, suffering person when you don't get what you want. Life does bring many sad, hurtful events. When you fight this reality, you create more suffering because of your belief system. You have your mind to blame for your guilt, anger and discontentment. You have your mind to blame for much illness.
The truth is, life has much beauty and much sorrow. In accepting this you can spend your energy changing what you can, accepting what you cannot and being grateful for all the beauty. You can appreciate the flowers, the birth of babies, the bright sky and experience of love.
HEALTHY ATTITUDES
Research shows that healthy people share similar attitudes. We have included these in our Healthy Attitudes Inventory. This is an overview of what research indicates about healthy people staying healthy and sick people healing themselves. Healthier people are optimistic, and they:
- Live in the present, plan for the future and let go of the past
- Believe in a higher power
- Accept and value others
- Know they are responsible for themselves
- Act interdependently with others
- Trust themselves and others
- Take charge of their health
People who live their lives this way have high energy, enjoy life, are happy, and find their work satisfying. And they enjoy better health than people with negative attitudes.