Reviewed by Debra Gaynor for Reader Views (12/06)

Each day we have a choice to either have a good day or a bad one. The decision is ours; it all depends on attitude. “A great attitude does much more than turn on the lights in our world; it seems to magically connect us to all sorts of serendipitous opportunities that were somehow absent before the change, Earl Nightengale.”

Our attitudes are important; it’s our “point of view.” A “negative attitude can have a detrimental effect on your life.” Children who grow up around people with negative attitudes grow up with low self-esteem. When a negative person has a problem or setback they blame themselves and dwell on it. They tend to give up.

We must examine ourselves and be honest about our attitude and viewpoints. Ms. Jones writes that we are continually “carrying on conversations with ourselves, interpreting situations, and casting judgments on people.” When people are feeling negative they tend to have distorted thinking such as: exaggeration, disregard the positive, all or nothing thinking, personalize or blame, label or mislabel, or over-generalize.

Ms. Jones offers suggestions for helping the reader form a more positive attitude: “Use the present tense (I am), Keep your affirmations personal; Use I or your name, be positive, be specific, be realistic.”

“Healthy Attitudes Smart Choices: Living the Life You Choose” is a much needed resource. Ms Jones has done an excellent job of presenting us with a way to change our attitudes thereby living a happier, healthier life. Having been raised in a negative home and having fought a negative attitude in myself for many years, I especially applaud her efforts. When I am positive I feel better. I’m not sick as often and people prefer to be around me when I’m positive. People tend to avoid people with negative attitudes. I have a choice; I can be positive and happy or negative and unhappy. I choose happy. The cover of this book is beautifully done. I highly recommend this book to everyone.