It seems that for all of us, attitudes are powerful and can dictate how we see the world around us. I had an experience that illuminated this for me. I traveled from my home in northern Vermont to a town in southern Quebec for a mid-winter break. When I set out it was sunny and there was plenty of snow piled along the streets. I noticed a few people out walking their dogs, doing errands, and visiting the post office. Some were wearing parkas, some hoodies, many did not have on boots, hats, or gloves. It was a cold day with temperatures in the high teens to the low twenties. Nobody appeared to be very comfortable.
After finding a parking place I walked along the main shopping street of the Quebec town about a half hour north of the US-Canadian border. It was snowing and about the same temperature as the town I had left. But the sidewalks were busy. Many people were out shopping, going to restaurants, running errands. People had on a winter coat or parka, most with hoods, and boots, scarves, hats, and gloves. I also noted a skate path, actually a flooded bike path, filled with skaters. Everyone was not only warmly dressed for the season, they were stylish! In contrast I felt quite drab.
This is in part a tourist area, but it was a weekday. Logically only a few would be tourists. What caused the difference in appearance? I think that one reason is that our Canadian neighbors accept winter. They even embrace it, partly because they must. Although this is in southern Canada, winter is serious.
I believe the difference is attitude. Granted, there may be other factors, some of them economic. But attitude is a big part of the equation. If you “know” that winter is a difficult season to be endured, that’s what you do. You just bear it or try to ignore it. If you “know” that winter is a season to make the best of, that’s what you do. And you can choose to enjoy it, even with some flair. Our behavior expresses our attitudes that in turn express our underlying beliefs.
Aside from attitudes about a season, consider the general power of attitudes based on beliefs. How often do we act because of an attitude without even realizing it? That’s the way “it” is, that’s what we know to be “true?” What if we notice our attitudes (and our beliefs) before they define our behavior? We would gain more power over our choices, decisions, and even our lives. We would be more open to new ideas and possibilities. The world would open up.