POSITIVE ATTITUDE AND
OUTLOOK
Course – BBA
Subject – English Communication and Life Skills
Unit - IV

Concept of Positive Attitude:
 You have probably had someone
tell you to "look on the bright
side" or to "see the cup as half
full." Chances are good that the
people who make these
comments are positive thinkers.
 An attitude is an expression of
favor or disfavor toward a
person, place, thing, or event.
 Attitude can be formed from a
person's past and present.
 Our attitude may be positive or
negative.
 Attitude is a mental position
with regard to a fact or state; a
feeling or emotion toward a fact
or state. – Definition.
http://psychology.about.com/od/PositivePsychology/a/benefits-of-positive-thinking.htm

 Positive attitude, positive
thinking, and optimism are
now known to be a root cause
of many positive life benefits.
 Positive thinking is the act of
thinking good or affirmative
thoughts. – Definition.
 Many people engage in
positive thinking to rid
themselves of depressing,
unhealthy, negative thoughts.
 Based on the idea the mind
can affect the body, positive
thinking is a way of keeping
the mind and body healthy.

 Positive Thinking can be
described as the practice of
embracing the affirmative in
our thoughts, our feelings, our
actions, our reactions and our
speech.
 Positive thinking is a mental
attitude that admits into the
mind thoughts, words and
images that are conductive to
sayings on thinking-positive
growth, expansion and success.
 It is a mental attitude that
expects good and favorable
results. It is strategy that can
be used to make you feel good
about yourself.

What is Negative Attitude?
 A negative attitude is a frame of mind whereby a
person is unhappy and feels that everything is
unfair and is working against their overall
happiness. A negative attitude is brought about
by wrong beliefs, which are brought about by
people or other influences.
 A negative attitude would be a person that
would not have anything positive to say or do.
This would be an attitude of bad feelings
towards things or people.
 The negative attitude would be someone that
always says the worst about everyone and
everything. When you have a negative attitude
you are not able to really see anything that was
good in someone or something.

ATTITUDE Acrostics: A person with Positive Attitude:
Always see the good in a situation.
Tries to find solutions to problems.
Takes time to appreciate the little things.
Is happy with what he has.
Takes responsibility for his actions.
Understands the need to listen to other people’s opinions and
thoughts.
Doesn’t complain often.
Enjoys life.

Positive Attitude vs. Negative Attitude
1) People with positive
attitude think “I Can”.
People with negative attitude
think “I Cannot”.
2) Optimist is a person who
thinks positively about a
subject. The act of being
optimist is known as
Optimism.
Pessimist is a person who
thinks negatively about a
subject. The act of being
pessimist is known as
Pessimism.
3) Optimists believe they are
in control and they can shape
their future.
Pessimists believe they have
no control over their lives
4) Optimists see possibility. Pessimists see problems.
5) Positive Attitude helps us
stay healthy.
Negative Attitude has an
adverse affect on our lives.

 Positive thinking helps with stress management and can
even improve your health.
 Researchers continue to explore the effects of positive
thinking and optimism on health. Health benefits that
positive thinking may provide include:
a) Increased Life span.
b) Lower rates of depression.
c) Greater resistance to common cold.
d) Better psychological and physical well-being.
e) Reduced risk of death from cardiovascular disease.
f) Better coping skills during hardships and times of stress.
g) Positive Attitude makes us resilient.
h) Reduces stress.

a)Negative Attitude upsets our body’s hormonal
balance.
b)Negative thinking depletes the brain chemicals
required for feelings of happiness.
c)Negative attitude damages immune system.
d)Negative attitude decreases our life span.
e)Negative thinking affects our physical health and
may lead to hypertension, heart diseases, digestive
disorders and infection.
f) Negative thinking reduces our sleep.
g)Negative thinking leads to aging.

Ways to develop Positive
Attitude:
a) Sound Sleep.
We should minimize attaching to
mental activities in the evening.
We should make appropriate
preparations for the next day.
One can also take a hot bath
before bedtime to promote ease.
We should avoid TV while
sleeping. Soothing fragrances,
lights, and music may help as
well.

b) Practicing positive Self-talk.
Our actions are inspired by our thoughts. If we can change
the way we think, we can begin to change the actions we
take. Most of us are in constant mental chatter. We talk to
ourselves all day long and, unfortunately, this self talk is
frequently negative. Practicing positive self talk can help
us set in motion actions that will bring us greater rewards.
The following are seven steps to positive self talk. By
following these steps you will begin to rid your inner
conversations of negativity and instead have empowering
thoughts.

Step 1: Eliminate internal negative chatter.
A common negative talk involves telling
yourself “I can’t”. When you say to yourself
“I can’t” or “it is too difficult”, you are
creating a resistance. Having such a mental
block will prevent you from achieving a task
you could otherwise succeed at.
Step 2: Positive Affirmations.
Affirmations are positive statements of a
desired outcome or goal. They are usually
short, believable and focused. By repeating
them over and over again, you build inroads
into your subconscious mind, opening up
the possibility of a new state of thoughts.
An important step when repeating
affirmations is that you need to read your
affirmations aloud with feeling.

Step 3: Positive Scripts.
One thing that you may observe is on how easy it is for your mind
to build negative thought upon negative thought. The chatter not
only does not stop but it spins a drama that traps and limits you.
Step 4: Replace Negative Influences with Positive Ones
It is important that you identify external negative factors in your life
which may be holding your thoughts hostage. For instance, your
mental state can become toxic by being around friends who are
negative. If you are not vigilant enough, you will start to adopt their
thoughts as your own. Hence, be alert to what your negative
influences are. If they come from certain friends, limit your
exposure to them as much as you can. Refrain from discussing your
plans with people who will be unsupportive of your dreams and
goals. Instead surround yourself with thoughts and actions from
people who will empower you.

Step 5: Present Tense Messages
What may be helpful is to concentrate on steps you can take in the
present. If you find yourself becoming stuck, stop and say, “What
can I do right now?” Change your internal talk from a future
anxiety ridden one to one that is about the more manageable
present. You cannot control what will happen in the future but you
can take the necessary steps now that will build a better
tomorrow. Taking the necessary steps require you to focus your
thoughts and inner talk in the present time, i.e., NOW.
Step 6: Confront fears
Fear is often what holds you back from your success. Ask yourself
what you are afraid of. What can be the worst that can happen?
When you confront your fears, you will often realize that the worst
case scenario is not as bad as you think. In fact, the benefits of
change are worth the risk. Your inner talk begins to change at this
point.

Step 7: Focus on enjoyable/Enjoyed Moments.
It is much easier to have a positive attitude if you focus on
the enjoyable moments in life rather than the difficult ones.
While there will inevitably be challenges, you need to
remember that life consists of ups and downs.
You choose to fill your mind with positive images and
thoughts. Make it a conscious habit. Simply bring your mind
back every time it goes astray in its thoughts.
Replacing self talk from a negative to a more positive one is
not going to happen overnight. If your mind has ingrained
habits of thinking negatively, it will take some work and time.

c) If you catch yourself visualizing failure, visualize success
instead.
Visualizing success on a daily basis helps us remain positive
and strong towards our goal.
d) If you hear yourself using negative words in your
conversation, switch to positive words.
Positive words help us in personal and professional life, in
formal and informal conversations. It also creates a good
impression about us and helps us remain positive.
e) Help someone.
Take the focus away from you and do something nice for
another person.
f) Love yourself.
Be yourself. Love yourself completely and accept everything
that you are. You are beautiful. Believe it, and most
importantly, remind yourself often.

g) Stay Cool.
If someone cuts us off in traffic or skips the queue at our
local cinema, we may feel our blood pressure begin to rise
and feel the need to react in a negative manner. We get
uptight with other people’s actions, and in the end we
punish ourselves for their bad behavior. But we are
responsible for our own action, regardless of how rude
other people may act. If it’s hard to stay cool, remember:
you are the one who loses in the end, if you lose the lesson.

h) Compliment others.
Take a moment to encourage others. Emphasize on the positive
in others and you will be more likeable. If you have more
people like you, then, you will like yourself more.
i) Figure out what you love and do it.
This includes activities you enjoy doing, hobbies, things you
like to do in your free time and most importantly your job or
career. When you do things that make you happy, you feel
better about yourself, have a positive outlook at life and you
begin to project a positive attitude.

j) No matter what, expect the best.
Although it seems easier to see the negative in every situation,
turn around and look for the positive in everything. Make it a
habit to expect the best out of every circumstance. Recite an
affirmation, "Everything will work out great. Everything will fall
into place. Today will be a happy day!" The more often you recite
affirmations, the easier it will be for you to believe that positive
things do happen.
k) Boost your Self-Esteem.
Think positive thought and speak positive words to yourself
everyday.

Positive Outlook & Clothing
‘The way you dress can have an impact on your Attitude.’
₪ Clothing is a form of expression. Bright colors many a times
give us a happy feeling when we wear bright color clothes.
The clothes we wear definitely have an impact on our
attitude.
₪ Attitudes definitely are some result of the clothes we wear. If
you are going to an interview for a very serious job, you are
going to pick a suit that makes you look and feel strong. Also,
while at this hypothetical interview, you are more inclined to
be taken seriously and take yourself seriously while wearing
a suit. Likewise, wearing a t-shirt and jeans for a Cricket
match allows you to relax.

₪ Dressing up can take extra effort, but it also feels
good, especially if you receive extra compliments.
₪ There’s an old saying that goes “clothes make the man
(or woman).”
₪ Our choice of clothing says a lot about us as
individuals. Through clothing we can project an outer
image for the world to see. Whether fair or not we are
often judged by our appearances. We know that
dressing well makes a good impression, but our choice
of clothing can also affect our moods.
₪ Putting on a nice pair of dress jeans and a colorful top.
You might notice that you have a little boost of energy
with this new outfit. Essentially you’ve changed your
inner attitude by changing your outer world. Who
knew that clothing could be so magical?

₪ If you’re looking to develop a more confident attitude,
choose clothing that makes you appear taller. Dress mostly in
one color to create an illusion of length, but top it off with a
pop of color. Red is a great power color to help you feel more
positive. Once you try this outfit evaluate your attitude. You
may actually feel more self-assured!
₪ If clothing makes us feel more powerful, outgoing, beautiful,
handsome, mysterious, quirky, or humorous, it will
subconsciously reflect in our personality.
₪ Wear the right kind of clothes for your body.
₪ Prints around the neck and over the shoulder can make your
shoulders appear wider.
₪ Tops and bottoms of one color will make you look thinner.
₪ Don't just follow fashions. Choose clothes that will flatter
your figure and suit you. Not all fashionable clothes were
meant for everybody, so find the clothes that are right for
you.

Positive attitude helps you cope more easily with the daily affairs of life.
It brings optimism into your life, and makes it easier to avoid worry and
negative thinking. If you adopt it as a way of life, it will bring
constructive changes into your life, and makes them happier, brighter
and more successful.
With a positive attitude you see the bright side of life, become
optimistic, and expect the best to happen. It is certainly a state of mind
that is well worth developing.
Co-relation between Positive Attitude and Personal Development:
a) Helps achieving goals and attaining success.
b) Success achieved faster and more easily.
c)More happiness.
d)More energy.
e)Greater inner power and strength.
f)The ability to inspire and motivate yourself
and others.
g) People respect you.

h) Life smiles at you.
i) The ability to surmount any difficulty.
j) Associate yourself with happy people.
k) Read inspiring stories and quotes.
l) Visualize only what you want to
happen.
m) Learn to master your thoughts.
n) We choose to be happy.
Conclusion:
If you have been exhibiting a negative
attitude and expecting failure and
difficulties, it is now the time to change
the way you think. It is time to get rid of
negative thoughts and behavior and lead
a happy and successful life. Why not
start today? If you have tried and failed,
it only means that you have not tried
enough.

ᴥ Moral values are the standards of good and evil, which govern
an individual’s behavior and choices. Individual’s morals may
derive from society and government, religion, or self.
ᴥ Moral values are the principles and standards which determine
whether an action is right or wrong. - Definition.
ᴥ Moral values are based on a moral code, which is a system of
morality according to a particular philosophy, religion, or
culture. The Golden Rule states to treat others as you would
like others to treat you.
ᴥ Moral values are good and positive attributes and attitudes.
Some examples of moral values are patience, generosity,
kindness, and compassion.
MORAL VALUES

ᴥ Moral values are important because they guide us in
everyday life decisions. Our moral values dictate how we
lives our lives and treat each other. Values play a large
role in society. Moral values make a society safer and
more comfortable to live in.
ᴥ Morals values and principles are all learned behaviors
and opinions. Morals are the inner voice that tells you
when you are doing something right or wrong.
ᴥ Values are the beliefs you have in what is right and
wrong. Principles are a rule or code of conduct. A person
that has no morals, values, or principles is not a good
person. They are the kind of person that is willing to hurt
others to achieve their own goals.

Important Moral Values
Important Moral Values are:
a) Honesty
b) Having Respect for others and Self-Respect
c) Justice
d) Patience
e) Courtesy
f) Being trustworthy
g) Being caring and compassionate
h) Being Persevering/Diligent
i) Being Forgiving
j) Being Loyal
k) Being Tolerant

Moral Values in Education
There are moral values in education. One of the most important moral values in
education would be cheating. It is not moral to cheat on a test. Some students may
be failing a class and failing a test may be devastating. However, they aren't willing
to compromise their morals and cheat to get a better grade. Moral values in
education include treating others well. A moral person will not single out someone
different and bully them. They will treat them kindly.
Moral education is the guidance and teaching of good behavior and values. Moral
education is taught to young children in schools and colleges, providing them with
a sense of politeness and lawfulness.
Discipline and Obedience are important moral values which students should
possess. Discipline means complete obedience to certain rules and regulations.
Since student life is a period of learning and grooming, a student needs to be
sincere, dedicated, firm and focused to his goals. Discipline plays significant role in
shaping his personality and molding his character.
A student needs to be very punctual to his routine. He should be very regular and
sincere to his studies. He should be hard working. He should always be ready and
active in various other extracurricular activities.

Discipline demands self-control and dedication. Student life is the formation
period of life. The foundation of adulthood is laid down during the time. The man
grows with the habits and manners acquired at that time. These things hardly
change. So a student should be much disciplined in his student life. One who is
disciplined raises high in life. Life of great men are examples of discipline. The
great men have made mark in their lives, because they strictly follow their goals
with all the earnestness (seriousness) and sincerity.
Politeness is another moral value students must learn. Remembering to say
“please” and “thank you” isn’t a difficult task, but if students are never taught or
reminded, they will never do it. When students are kind, courteous, and
respectful, people enjoy being around them and reciprocate with the same
behavior.

Humility signifies not being proud over accomplishments and achievements. It
also means saying sorry for students or individuals, when they do something they
should not have done. A good student will apologize when he/she is wrong.
Employers look for Honesty in the people they hire. We are being honest when we
think and act the same way. Honesty is not to make promises that we are not
planning to keep. An honest person is somebody whom we trust because he or
she doesn’t lie. We are being honest when we comply with rules. We need
courage to be honest. We should accept our mistakes and correct them. Live
everyday with honesty, you will be happier and you will make happy everybody
around you.

Moral Values & Positive Attitude
A major part of lives is influenced by our attitudes towards self and
others and how we feel as a result of those attitudes. Developing
positive attitude can contribute to leading a satisfying and successful
life. Our Self is made up of body and soul. Our attitude towards
everything we do must take into account the needs of body and soul.
Moral values are essentially determined by taking into account the
need of our soul; feeling the essence of soul and remaining attached
to others through love and good feelings.
Being morally good and having a Positive Attitude will definitely
lead towards success. Success is made up of a number of Moral
values like honesty, persistence, patience, respect, courtesy, etc.
Positive Attitude affects relationships, career and your entire
future. Let’s have a positive winning attitude and transform and
shape our lives.

• References:
• Fredrickson, B. L., Tugade, M. M., Waugh, C. E., & Larkin, G. R. (2003). What good
are positive emotions in crises? A prospective study of resilience and emotions
following the terrorist attacks on the United States on September 11th, 2001. The
Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 84(2), 365-376.
• Goleman, D. (1987). Research affirms power of positive thinking. The New York
Times. Found online at http://www.nytimes.com/1987/02/03/science/research-
affirms-power-of-positive-thinking.html?pagewanted=all&src=pm
• Goode, E. (2003). Power of Positive Thinking May Have a Health Benefit, Study
Says. The New York Times. Found online at
http://psyphz.psych.wisc.edu/web/News/Positive_thinking_NYT_9-03.html
• Mayo Clinic. (2011). Positive thinking: Reduce stress by eliminating negative self-
talk. Found online at http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/positive-
thinking/SR00009
• Schwartz, T. Psychologist and scientist Suzanne Segerstrom ’90 studies optimism
and the immune system. Chronicle. Found online at
http://legacy.lclark.edu/dept/chron/positives03.html
• Segerstrom, S. & Sephton, S. (2010). Optimistic expectancies and cell-mediated
immunity: The role of positive affect. Psychological Science, 21(3), 448-55.

• http://psychology.about.com/od/PositivePsyc
hology/a/benefits-of-positive-thinking.htm