Attitude determines altitude

Source: Steve Goodier, One Minute Can Change a Life, Second Edition, pages 68-69, "Attitude Determines Altitude", author unknown, abridged.

Unlike some things in life, we can choose our outlook. Sometimes we just need a reminder that happiness can often simply be a result of choosing attitudes:

• I woke up early today, excited over all I get to do before the clock strikes midnight. I have responsibilities to fulfil today. My job is to choose what kind of day I am going to have.
  
  
• Today I can complain because the weather is rainy, or
  I can be thankful that the grass is getting watered for free.
  
  
• Today I can feel sad that I don't have more money, or
  I can be glad that my finances encourage me to plan my purchases wisely and guide me away from waste.
  
  
• Today I can grumble about my health, or
  I can rejoice that I am alive.
  
  
• Today I can lament over all that my parents didn't give me when I was growing up, or
  I can feel grateful that they allowed me to be born.
  
  
• Today I can cry because roses have thorns, or
  I can celebrate the thorns have roses.
  
  
• Today I can mourn my lack of friends, or
  I can excitedly embark upon a quest to discover new relationships.
  
  
• Today I can whine because I have to go to work, or
  I can shout for joy because I have a job to do.
  
  
• Today I can complain because I have to go to school, or
  I can eagerly open my mind and fill it with rich new tidbits of knowledge.
  
  
• Today I can murmur dejectedly because I have to do housework, or
  I can feel glad that I have a shelter above my head.
  
  
• Today stretches ahead of me, waiting to be shaped. And here I am, the sculptor who gets to do the shaping. What today will be like is up to me.

I get to choose what kind of day I will have!

---

And there I was, feeling frustrated during today's chemistry tutorial. While I was irritated by the teacher's lack of sensitivity to students who may not understand, I was also angry with myself for being so dumb.

Is it that all other students in the LT know what she's doing? Because people were either talking among themselves or simply giving the answers when requested or just copying the answers from the whiteboard. There's no explanation, because her explanation surprisingly (sic) appears to be the answer.

If I ever become a teacher, I won't use an answer key in class unless it is absolutely necessary to do so. An answer stifles the teacher's ability to explain because everything suddenly appears to be so easy -- what is in the answer key is deemed correct, and any other answer probably wrong. What's there to explain? Black is black, and white is white.

I am very glad to have Ms Goh as my chemistry tutor. I think I'll have a chat with her one of these days to see what I can do about this subject.

--

Kai Lin: Thanks for your encouragement.

Yingqi: I hope I didn't piss too much at you (taken in the unconventional sense).

I'd like to apologise if my tone of voice wasn't very friendly.

--

Kai Lin, you should see a doctor if you're sick!