The Real 'X Factor': Disposition, Attitude & Personality (Dallas)

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Disposition: A Person's usual temperament or frame of mind Positive affectivity (PA) is a trait that refe rs to stable individual differences in the experience of positive emotions and active engagement with one's surroundings. Negative affectivity (NA) is a general dimen s ion of subjective distress and unpleasurable engagement that subsumes a variety of aversive mood states, including anger , contempt , disgust , gu ilt , fear , and nervousness . Maintaining A Positive Disposition -Physical Health, Life Style and Psychological resilience Physical health - When it comes to people with different illness, it is interesting to see that there are differences in the physi cal health according to the levels of dispositional affect. Individuals who have high levels of positive affectivity , had longer life span , reported fewer pains and illness symptoms (such as blood pressure ), and were less likely to develop a cold when exposed to a virus compared with individuals who have high levels of negative affectivity , while bo th had th e same illness . It was als o dis covered that when it comes to people with chronic diseases that has decent prospects for long-term survival, (such as coronary heart disease ), people may benefit from high levels of positive affectivity. Life style - Even whe n it co mes to healthy individuals, it seems that there are differences between people's life style, due to their dispositional affect trait .Individuals who h ave high leve ls of positive affectivity, tend to attend healthier activities such as improved sleep quality, more physical exercise , and tend to socialize more often and maintain more and higher-quality social ties. It was also found that high levels of positive affectivity may result in more and closer social contacts because it facilitates approach behavior, a nd be cause others are dra wn to form attach ments with pleasant individuals. Psychological resilience - Individuals who have high levels of positive affectivity have lower levels of the stress hormones , thus physiology gives one explanation in favor of psychological resilience that provides positive resources to confront stressful life events. On the other hand, the broaden-and-build theory provides a different explanation from the physiological one, and claim that individuals who have hi gh levels of po sitive aff ectivity and experience positive events in the present, create a spiral or “snow ball” effect, that may lead to higher probability to experience positive events in the future as well . This means that happiness and well-being sensations in the present, are the ones which creates the likelihood to feel the same in the future, which helps us in building a strong and improved system of coping with stressful life events.

A tendency to respond positively or negatively towards a certain idea, object, person or situation. ATTITUDE Hold up your thumb and forefinger about 2-1/2 inches apart. It takes about 1/100th of a second for Olympians to run that distance in the 100-meter race. But that’s the difference between winning and losing. In the women's 100-meter dash at the 1992 Barcelona Olympic Games, for example, the gold medal was won by an American who crossed the line only 2-1/2 inches in front of her closest opponent. Fifth place went to a Jamaican who finished a mere 6/100th of a second behind her. And yet that little bit of difference made all the difference in the world. The same goes for attitude. When you compare age, gender, upbringing, education, IQ, and just about any other factor you can think of, research says that positive attitude is the little bit of difference that makes all the difference in success in both your personal and professional lives. In fact, the research makes it clear that attitude is more important than any other element when it comes to ensuring success. So how do you build a positive attitude that ensures your success? Just follow this "4-Day Attitude Diet", focusing on a different skill each day. And repeat the cycle until you’ve built an invincible attitude. It works! Positive Attitude Diet Day 1: Fill your mind with positives. Instead of living your life on autopilot, letting any and all thoughts come into your mind, consciously feed your mind positive input. Do this on the first day of every week, and do it throughout the day. Read inspirational books; listen to uplifting music, or call an upbeat person. And by all means, avoid the cynics and gripers. Keep a journal and write down wonderful things that happen to you on Day 1. Include even small things... like finding a quarter on the sidewalk... or a stranger greeting you with a cheerful "good morning." After awhile, you’ll realize that most of the things that happen in your life are positive. Positive Attitude Diet Day 2: Affirm yourself. To build a positive attitude you must remind yourself of past victories. Congratulate yourself on the good you have done and will do. And refuse to let any self-doubt enter your mind. Just tell yourself over and over, "I am filled with confidence, and I am competent." And when you make a mistake, learn the lesson in that mistake and laugh at yourself. In fact people who can't laugh at themselves are not only more negative, but they’re also more susceptible to cancer, stroke, and heart disease. So laugh... and affirm the fact you’re learning and growing. Of course you may have some doubts about yourself. But on day 2, literally, consciously feed yourself with positive affirmations. As boxing champ Sugar Ray Robinson said, "To be a champ, you have to believe in yourself when nobody else will.

Positive Attitude Diet Day 3: Think only good things about people. Don't allow ill thoughts to enter your mind. Look for something you like in everyone you meet. One person might have a great smile, and another one might be extremely dedicated to his work. You can always find something you like. Of course, you may think this a rather Pollyannaish activity... especially if you’re working with some very difficult people. No problem. Simply see these people as giving you an opportunity to learn patience and practice assertiveness. That’s something you can like. Positive Attitude Diet Day 4: Speak only positive words. In order to build and maintain a positive attitude, you must speak hopefully about everything -- your job, your customers, your manager, your employees, your children, your health, and your future. Go out of your way to talk optimistically about everything. You may have to talk yourself out of uttering negative words. If, for instance, the man at the front of the company cafeteria line seems to be holding up everyone else, you'll be tempted to make a snide remark to the person next to you. Don't do it. Instead, say, "It's kind of nice not to rush every single minute of the day." When you have a positive attitude, you refuse to use a loser’s language. If you talk like a loser, you’ll end up losing. As George Schultz, the former U.S. Secretary of State said, "The minute you start talking about what you're going to do if you lose, you have lost." And Now The Challenge: Start Building a Positive Attitude Today. Nothing... absolutely nothing... contributes more to your success than your attitude. The good news is you can have a powerful, positive attitude... We just have to work on it daily. Example - 9th Grd/Mrs Luper

The combination of characteristics or qualities that form an individual's distinctive character. PERSONALITY 1.Get in touch with your true self by understanding your strengths and weaknesses and maximizing your full potential as a person. There are various personality tests you can take to give you more understanding about yourself and you can do this online for free. Do a lot of reflection about who you are and be willing to change yourself for the better to help you achieve your goal. 2. Be an emphatic listener . Everybody has their share of challenges and triumphs in life and most people are attracted to someone who listen to them talk. The easiest way to gain other people's confidence is to hear them out and sympathize what they are going through. Remember that the other person sharing their thoughts could tell if you are truly listening to them. Use positive feedback and maintain eye contact while being in their company. This gives them confidence and trust in your presence and these two elements are vital in human relati onships . 3. Smile and laugh a lot. There is no better thing to feel than to see someone's smiles and hear someone's hearty laugh especially in a really tough day. It is a proven fact that doses of smile and laughter in a day i nspire u s, improve health, and benefit both the giver and receiver. If you are a smiling person, you project a happy disposition and people are naturally attracted to you. Who would desire the company of a grouchy person over a happy one? Not I and neither do you. 4. Always be glad and ready to lend a helping hand . A person's actions mirror the contents of his heart. Find every opportunity to help others. If you help somebody no matter how small it is, it brings about good feelings and paves the way for the receiver to like and respect you in return. 5. Be profuse with giving genuine compliments to others. Our tongue has the power to heal or destroy and curse or bless someone. A person who has an attractive, positive personality always has something nice and pleasant to say to others. Every human being is dying to hear good things about himself and the person who makes him feel good and appreciated is likely the person he loves to be in company with. Example - How these traits have worked in my life.