Blog Post: Attitude is key for ex-offenders reintegration.

The dictionary defines attitude as; a manner, disposition, feeling, position, etc., With regard to a person or thing; tendency or orientation, especially of the mind. Your attitude can make or break your re-entry into your community. Attitude transcends problems encountered or lack of assistance needed.

I am sure that some of you have heard this before; you will need to examine your attitude and perhaps make some changes in order to reintegrate back into your community. Even with all the help in the world a bad attitude can ruin your chance of getting back on track. On the other hand even if you have a boat load of obstacles your positive attitude can make your reintegration into the community a little easier.

Unlike personality, attitudes are expected to change as a function of experience. I have worked with a lot of people who say that their personality has been set and they can’t change. That may be true but your personality is different from your attitude. Your attitudes can be changed through persuasion or by self talk. You can convince your self of the need to change. Your attitude will determine how you react to a given situation.

Their are some important attitudes you will want to promote some are:

• Self responsibility
• Positive outlook
• Forgiveness
• Patience

Let’s start with responsibility; the dictionary defines responsibility as: answerable or accountable, as for something within one's power, control, or management (often fol. by to or for): He is responsible for his decisions. Taking control of your life revolves around being responsible for your actions and your own care. Your re-integration into the community requires that you be in charge of your path to success. Don’t depend on others to do for you what you can do for yourself and don’t blame others for not helping you. An attitude of self responsibility can go a long way in gaining the help you need from others.

In my community reintegration course I teach that in order to get employed you will need to be accountable for your felony. Don’t try to make excuses about “what happened” to the employer. Take ownership and then let the employer know what you did to make positive changes in your life such as; getting a GED or taking anger management classes.

Everyone has a story but the employer is going to assume your guilt and any attempt on your part to excuse or convince will be interpreted as your not taking responsibility. There is a lot more to it than that, but starting off by taking responsibility for your actions and emotions will get you a lot further than you may think.

A positive outlook can also help you get back to life as you would like it to be. Positive thinking is a mental attitude that creates in the mind thoughts, words and images that are conductive to growth and success. A positive attitude expects good and favorable results. A positive mind expects a successful outcome of situations. As you think so things become. All of us affect the people we meet; this happens on a subconscious level, through thoughts and feelings and through body language. People are more likely to help you if you are positive.

Forgiveness means to refrain from imposing punishment on an offender or demanding satisfaction for an offense. More strictly, to forgive is to grant pardon without harboring resentment: Oscar Wilde said; “Children begin by loving their parents; as they grow older they judge them; sometimes they forgive them”. Harboring resentments and anger towards others paralyzes your ability to move on with your life.

The American Heritage Dictionary states that patience is: