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Life happens every day. Sometimes it's fun; sometimes it's not. A happy, positive person knows how to enjoy the interesting moments that come along while managing to stay upbeat when life becomes stressful.

Think about your behavior when you feel irritated or overwhelmed. What do you do and say when your computer is not working right? What happens when you lose something important and cannot find it after searching for a few minutes? How do you react when you are running late and a slow-moving car pulls in front of you on a two-lane road?

Believe it or not you control your response to everything life sends your way. As author Mildred Barthel said, "Happiness is a conscious choice not an automatic response."

The irritations of everyday life upset us all. Often it's the little things that bother us the most. I like to call these little irritations "attitude busters" because I am happy one second and frustrated the next. My good mood is busted flat.

If you want to stay positive when you feel stressed, the first step is - be aware of events that frustrate you. The next step is - develop an arsenal of attitude adjusters you can use to quickly change your state of mind. You can easily escape a busted mood by doing something that immediately makes you feel better.

Do you know what events upset you? Make a list and divide it into two categories: attitude busters you experience at work and those that occur anytime. For example, if your boss dumps a last minute project on you at the end of the day, you experience an "at work" attitude buster. An "anytime" attitude buster occurs when you are interrupted before you finish talking, whether you are with your co-workers or your friends.

When asked to list their attitude busters in my positive attitude workshops most participants have no problem coming up with a long list. However, it seems identifying what upsets us is easier than defining what uplifts us. When it is time to list attitude adjusters, most people struggle to generate a list of five to ten things.

Make a list of your attitude adjusters, anything that can quickly make you feel happy. For example, when you are stuck in traffic, distracting yourself with music is a fast method to reduce frustration and create an optimistic outlook.

What other recovery methods can you use? Taking a walk or talking with a friend who is happy and optimistic are two excellent ways for overcoming temporary attitude setbacks.
For some people eating chocolate works. For others playing a game or working a puzzle will do the trick.

Give this some thought. What easy actions can you take to feel better in a hurry? Once again make a list of things you can do at work and things you will do on your time. Add as many things as you can to the list. The more attitude adjusters you identify the easier it is to remember to use one or two when you need them.

One of my favorite quotes about refocusing our outlook and attitude is by Morarji Desai, a former Indian Prime Minister. He said, "Life at any time can become difficult. Life at any time can become easy. It all depends upon how one adjusts oneself to life."

Successful attitude adjustment depends on two abilities: first - recognizing when a small setback takes a toll on your cheerfulness, and second - responding immediately with an attitude adjuster.

Learn more about this author, Janice Hampton.
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