A famous saying goes, “whether you think you can or think you can’t, you’re right.” I couldn’t find this to be more true. You are the ultimate decider of your attitude and your outlook on certain situations

   According to “How Positive Thinking Builds Your Skills, Boosts Your Health, and Improves Your Work” by behavioral psychology blogger James Clear, when you have a positive attitude, you will see more possibilities in your life. Your mind is opened up to more options. In my opinion, when you are positive, you are more likely to see the brighter side of things.

   Having a positive attitude is important because of who you will be affecting around you.

   According to “How Attitude Influences Behavior” by Boundless.com, attitudes can be “infectious” and can influence the behavior of those around you. Whether it be a family member, a teacher, or a coach, you’re influenced by what they do, what they say, and how they act. You learn by example, and your attitude often reflects those around you. I would think it would be hard to have a positive attitude if my parents didn’t, or my teachers didn’t, or my coaches didn’t. I think sometimes adults forget that they have children looking up to them, and will take after them in every aspect.

   By thinking positively, you’ll have an increased life span, lower rates of depression, lower levels of distress, greater resistance to the common cold, better psychological and physical well-being, reduced risk of death from cardiovascular disease, and better coping skills during hardships and times of stress according to “Positive thinking: stop negative self-talk to reduce stress” by Mayo Clinic.

  Before we start criticizing the negative attitudes displayed by teenagers, perhaps we need to look at some of the attitudes displayed by their adult role models.

   A popular example among high school students is an athletic coach. Athletes will spend hours after school, and sometimes before school, with this adult and, in my opinion, is very influenced by this person. A coach helps a student athlete find passion in a sport they enjoy, and guide them along to make them better. Without their positive attitude, you wouldn’t continue to play the sport, and if you did, you wouldn’t enjoy that part of your high school experience with that coach.

  Having a positive attitude should be the main responsibility of an adult that could influence small children and teenagers, but it should also be the responsibility of the student to look passed a tough situation.