One of the classes I attended at Credit Congress addressed this very topic. Do you realize that your self-esteem-meter goes up and down daily? If you connect with people it goes up. If you compare yourself to others, it goes down. When we compare ourselves to others, it is usually in these three areas:

• Appearance (looks)
• Status (wealth)
• Performance

The power of attitude, or how you think, predicts your success. There are no recorded stats that IQ or straight A's led to a successful person. But, attitude has certainly led many to be successful.

Your attitude shapes your mood. It affects how you feel. People can pick up on your attitude in about 30 seconds. Statistics show that a pessimist will get sick more often than an optimist. He/she will make less money and get divorced more often. So, if it's so important to be positive, why would anyone want to be negative?

How do you deal with life when it doesn't go your way? If you are a pessimist, you see failure as personal and persistent. But, if you are an optimist, you see it as an opportunity to change something the next time around. It is something from which to learn. And, it's only temporary.

Is your glass half-full or half-empty? How you answer this question about positive thinking may reflect your outlook on life and your attitude toward yourself.

Positive thinking often starts with self-talk. Self-talk is an endless stream of unspoken thoughts that run through your head every day. Researchers continue to explore the effects of positive thinking and optimism on health. Health benefits due to positive thinking include:

• Increased life span
• Lower rates of depression
• Lower levels of distress
• Greater resistance to the common cold
• Reduced risk of death from cardiovascular disease
• Better coping skills during hardships and times of stress

Having and maintaining a positive attitude is vital for success in life and in business. Zip Ziglar says, "It is your attitude, not your aptitude, that determines your altitude."

KEEP SMILING!