6 benefits of having a positive attitude

In 2012, we decided to extend our two-bedroom cottage to create a family home. This was to be our ‘forever’ house. The project was estimated to take six months, and it would require us to live elsewhere during that period.

We wanted to be on site but anticipated that the build might take longer than expected. Renting somewhere in the town nearby might not have the flexibility we needed, would be costly, and we would not be close by. What about living in a mobile home on the driveway?

I had a close friend who had lived in a mobile home whilst undergoing a complicated building project. She had a toddler, a new baby, AND a puppy during that period. I’d witnessed the Moses basket being jammed between the bed and the side wall; I’d seen my friend light the gas fire in the morning and scraped the ice off the inside of the windows. If she could do it, I could do it.

We sourced a mobile home and moved in during October 2012, taking all the basics we needed from the cottage.

When the builders arrived on site, they said ‘at the last job we worked on the family started out in a mobile home, but couldn’t hack it after November...’.

I never doubted for one moment that I would make this work. I was 100% committed to this period of my life being a success. I looked upon this as an adventure, something to be conquered. Having this positive and resilient attitude that nothing was going to get in the way of that made all the difference to how I managed the challenges when they arose.

At that time, my son was four and had just started school, and my daughter was two. My husband was travelling for work and was away for a week every month.

My lowest point was when my husband was abroad, I had a sickness bug, and the water pipes froze in the cottage which meant we had no running water in the mobile home. I de-camped to my parent’s house that day!

A positive attitude is a mental state that expects the best to happen. It is actually positive thinking – the habit of believing that things will turn out well and not allowing negative thoughts and doubts to disturb this belief.

The six benefits of having a positive attitude

1. A positive attitude allows for constructive thinking

It enables you to think about solutions and believe that you can find them. It means being active about solving problems. It is not enough to just believe that things will turn out ok - you also need to be actively thinking about constructive solutions and executing them.

2. A positive attitude enables creative thinking

It’s a way of looking at life and situations with a broader vision and finding creative solutions. With a positive attitude, you are not afraid to look for new ways of doing things.

3. A positive attitude carries optimism as one of its main characteristics

It means hope and expecting situations to improve and plans to turn out well.

4. A positive attitude incorporates motivation

This is the energy and zest to do things and accomplish goals. When motivation is present, you are keen on spending time and energy on the task at hand. When you are sure of yourself, believe in your abilities, and do not allow anything to discourage you, you become motivated.

5. A positive attitude has happiness at its heart

A person with a positive attitude is usually happy and content.

6. A positive attitude enables you to build resilience when things don’t go according to plan

Resilience allows you to rebound from adversity instead of staying stuck. A major component of resilience is the ability to maintain daily routines while coping with major setbacks.

So, we ended up living in the mobile home until August 2013, a total of 10 months, when we were finally able to move into a fully restored cottage with a beautiful extension. It had its highs and lows, but it was 100% the right thing to do for us, and I have no doubt that my positive attitude made it the success that it was.

How can you commit to having a positive attitude with your next adventure?

If you're struggling to cultivate a positive attitude, coaching may be able to help. A coach can work with you to help you notice negative thinking habits, break the cycle and create a more positive outlook. Use our search tool to find a coach today.