“You are responsible for the attitude you bring into the room.”
I was attending a leadership workshop and saw this intriguing title listed as an afternoon session. So not only did I attend, I was actually transformed by it. The speaker was funny and insightful and her empowering message underlined the notion that we all get to choose what attitude we bring with us when we enter a room. Obviously, “the room” is a metaphor for everything in life – our marriage, our friendships, our parenting and all of our relationships in general. It got me thinking about the choices I am making when interacting with others on a daily basis. I like to think of myself as someone who is open, positive, fun loving and approachable. However, is that the persona I am showing others when I interact with them? Like you, I have many different roles in my life – a mom, a wife, a daughter, a daughter-in-law, a friend, a volunteer and a business owner. If I am being true to myself, I should be the same “me” in every role – no matter what “room” I am in or who is in there with me.
My dad used to say, “Life is 10 percent what happens to you and 90 percent how you react to it.” Deciding how you want to react before you even know the circumstance is amazing concept to me.
I am drawn to optimistic and positive people. I recently ran into someone and within the first 30 seconds he used the phrases “can’t be done”, “don’t even try” and “never going to happen.” Thinking back to the workshop, I immediately thought to myself that the words he chose already assumed that I was not going to succeed.
I tell my kids all the time that there are two kinds of people – those who use their words to build others up and those who use their words to tear them down. Obviously, I want my kids to be in the first group and develop an attitude that helps to inspire, motivate and empower others to do good work in the world. I want them to understand that this approach is a choice they can consciously make.
It is a significant concept to realize that before you even step into a room you have the power to decide what you bring to it. To know the choice is mine is liberating – and also a responsibility. My words and attitude will influence others. And as a parent, I want my children to see how I make this choice a positive one.
Mary Susan Buhner is a Life Coach for moms and author of “Mommy Magic: Tricks for Staying Sane in the Midst of Insanity.” Visit her Mommy Magic Fan Page on Facebook and her website at www.Mommy-Magic.com
