Bagaimana Menukar Sikap Kita Jika Tidak Boleh Ubah Keadaan Kita

       by David Zulberg 20 Jan 2015

Sometimes changing your physical circumstances isn't possible - or not possible soon enough, or you may want a less drastic change, but you still want to be happier.


You can't get to a new job right away or you regularly bump into a friend who make you feel badly, waht options do you have left?

Change your perception, belief or opinion of the situation — and that will help you change your attitude.

The Greek philosopher Epictetus said it beautifully more than 2,000 years ago: "People are disturbed, not by things (that happen to them), but by the principles and opinions which they form concerning (those) things. When we are hindered, or disturbed, or grieved, let us never attribute it to others, but to ourselves; that is, to our own principles and opinions."

Modern behavioral science agrees! American psychologist Albert Ellis, famous for developing rational emotive behavior therapy, explained that "how" people react to events is determined largely by their "view" of the events, not the events themselves.

Have no clue how to change your perception — and improve your attitude? Here are five easy ways to start:

1. Admit to yourself that you're not happy.

You can't change anything if you aren't aware that something needs to be changed. Stop the cycle of wishing things were different and take control of your thoughts and reactions to events and people.

2. Realize optimism is a choice. 

You are not born with a positive or negative attitude. It is something you become through your perspective of experiences. Very few situations are completely bad. Always try to come up with three to five positives of any challenging situation and write them down so you can remember them.

3. Use positive words.

Use statements like, "I am hopeful," or, "We will find a resolution," throughout the day. The words you use when you talk have a major impact on your attitude and emotional outlook.

4. Hang out with friends who have a happy vibe.

Try surrounding yourself with friends that exude positive energy. Pay attention to the words they use when they talk to you about their day. You will be amazed how simple it is to ascertain if they are a positive or negative influence.

5. Say a daily affirmation.

Find a quote that is meaningful to you and say it aloud every morning. "Something great is going to happen today," sends your energy in an expectant and positive direction. I know it sounds a bit "Zen" and somewhat mystical, but it is actually a very simple and effective method for retraining your subconscious mind — and advocated by both ancient and scientific research.

So the next time you are faced with a challenging situation, remember these tips for molding your perception — and improving your attitude. You may not be able to change it, but you can certainly choose your mental and physical response to it. As time passes, you will notice a real shift in your attitude, and so will your friends and family!

Photo Credit: Getty Images

Nak Muda 14 Tahun? Mulakan Dengan 3 Perkara Ini

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• Dr. Michael Greger
• February 11, 2015
• 10:30 am

In 1903, Thomas Edison predicted that the doctor of the future will give no medicine, but instead “instruct his patient in the care of the human frame in diet and in the cause and prevention of disease.” A hundred and one years later, the American College of Lifestyle Medicine was born. Lifestyle docs like myself still prescribe meds when necessary, but, based on the understanding that the leading causes of disability and death in the United States are caused mostly by lifestyle, our emphasis is particularly on what we put in our mouths: food and cigarettes. An “impressive number of studies have shown that lifestyle is the root cause of what ails us.” The good news is that by changing our lifestyle we can dramatically improve our health. We have the power.

We’ve known for a long time that for most of the leading causes of death our genes account for at most 10 to 20% of risk, given that rates of killers like heart disease and major cancers differ up to a 100-fold among various populations, and that when people migrate from low- to high-risk countries, their disease rates almost always change to those of the new environment. For example, at least 70% of strokes and colon cancer are avoidable, as are over 80% of coronary heart disease and over 90% of type 2 diabetes. So maybe it’s “time we stop blaming our genes and focus on the 70% that is under our control.” That may be the real solution to the health care crisis.

It doesn’t take much. Adhering to just four simple healthy lifestyle factors can have a strong impact on the prevention of chronic diseases: not smoking, not being obese, exercising half an hour a day, and eating healthier (more fruits, veggies, whole grains, less processed foods and meat). Four simple things cut our risk of developing a chronic disease by 78%. 95% of diabetes risk out the window, 80% of heart attack risk, gone. Half of stroke risk, a third of cancer risk, simply gone. Think of what that means in terms of the numbers. As it stands now, each year a million Americans experience their first heart attack or stroke, a million get diabetes, a million get cancer.

Do we actually get to live longer, too? The CDC followed about 8,000 Americans 20 years or older for about six years. They found that three cardinal lifestyle behaviors exerted an enormous impact on mortality. People who do not smoke, consume a healthy diet, and engage in sufficient physical activity can substantially reduce their risk for early death. By “not smoking” they just meant not currently smoking; by “healthy diet” they just meant in the top 40% in terms of complying with the rather wimpy federal dietary guidelines; and by being “physically active” they just meant averaging about 21 minutes a day or more of at least moderate exercise. Those that managed at least one of the three had a 40% lower risk of dying. Those that hit two out of three cut their chances of dying by more than half. Those that scored all three threw 82% of their chances of dying in those six years out the window.

What does that mean in terms of how much longer we get to live? A similar study on health behaviors and survival didn’t just take people’s word for how healthfully they were eating, they measured the level of vitamin C in people’s blood, a biomarker for how many plants they were eating, and the drop in mortality risk in those nailing all healthy behaviors was equivalent to being 14 years younger.