Have you ever considered the ingredients that tend to make people live with a negative and grumbly attitude? Not too long ago I discovered a humorous list of “The 10 Commandments for an Unhappy Life.” It serves as a reminder of the choices we face every single day: Will we embrace both the gifts and the challenges life brings, or will we complain and be miserable through the process? Will we be people with a purposeful and positive mindset or people with a “poor me” mentality? Here’s the list:

10 Commandments for an Unhappy Life

1. Thou shalt hold onto bitterness, hatred and anger.
2. Thou shalt never get too close to anybody. Keep all of thy relationships on the surface level.
3. Thou shalt wear a glum expression on thy face at all times, and guard against laughter.
4. Thou shalt inflict blame and condemnation on all who disagree with thee.
5. Thou shalt complain about the small stuff, forgetting the bigger picture.
6. Thou shalt think of thy own needs and focus on thyself rather than thinking of the needs of others.
7. Thou shalt hold regular pity parties, inviting others to join thee.
8. Thou shalt not take a break, exercise or relax. Never allow thyself to be still, pray or meditate on truth.
9. Thou shalt expect the worst in all situations, shame those around you and dwell on the feebleness, faults and fears of others, while never seeing thine own.
10. Thou shalt attempt to control every situation without flexibility. *

I don’t know about you, but in the great adventure of life, I want to experience joy in the journey – not misery in the muck! I want my life to move in a positive direction and bless others, and I think you do too. Let’s be honest, no matter what our circumstances or background look like, we can choose our attitude and outlook in life.

In the next few weeks on this blog, I plan to examine the principles of a positive person. Even if you are the “cup half empty” sort of person, you can begin to change your attitude and thought-life today. Let’s take some time to look over the “10 Commandments of an Unhappy Life” and consider any of the qualities that may apply to our own attitudes. Let’s also make a conscious decision to reverse our thinking and start a new pattern.

If you were to write, “10 Commandments for a Happy Life,” what would you include on the list? I’ll show you my list next week.

The positive message from this blogpost can be found in The Power of a Positive Woman.  To learn more about Karol’s encouraging books Click Here

*The 10 Commandments for an Unhappy Life” was adapted from Edward Rowell & Bonnie Steffen, Humor for Preaching and Teaching (1996)

Photo by nick beswick on Unsplash