Attitude Determines Your Altitude

A young single mother can achieve far greater success when she focuses on her your attitude. It is important to note that although education is important it is not the most important ingredient for success.

While you will face many obstacles to successfully parent your child, remembering that it's your attitude not your aptitude that determines your attitude in life is a very important thing to remember. Trying to achieve self-sufficiency, give your child the attention they deserve and taking care of yourself is far more than the average person ever has to consider alone.

This delicate balancing act when a young single mother is a teenager who hasn't even completed high school yet can be even more confusing. Minimal education in a society that demands higher education as an entry into higher paying jobs can be discouraging. But any mother should remember there are only two choices, do or do not. Do not allow yourself to get caught in the poverty mentality just because you didn't finish high school or attend college. Many of the most successful people in our society didn't either.

Your situation makes you unique. The only way out for them is having the right attitude. Being a single mother in an unforgiving society is difficult. Success comes with applying the hard earned knowledge you have about life's situations. You fight the battle everyday so you know how to win.

A Young single mother with the right attitude possesses some unique traits:

- A thick skin with an open mind when it comes to the welfare of her family

- Determination, persistence, and perseverance

- Set goals and follow through while adjusting to uncertainties

- Courage to take personal responsibility for her own choices

Let's be real. A young single mother is a stereotype in this society and considered a social burden. Estimates suggest 75% of teenage single mothers end up on welfare within five years after the birth of their child. Getting public assistance is humiliating. Discrimination in the workplace against them is common. Their attitude in these circumstances is to have faith. Keep your mind open to the possibilities and realize any situation is only temporary.

The right attitude for them is staying power and confidence. Find creative ways to manage motherly responsibilities while planning for the future of the family. If it's to be it is up to you. No one else can or will do it for you.

This ability to plan for the future requires optimism. Depression is 40% greater for single mothers compared to their married counterparts. Avoid being a statistic by planning for your future. Set goals for your education and job training to better your circumstances.

Maintain a courageous attitude. Continue to work hard and conquer those obstacles that are sure to cross your path. Every step forward may be loaded with hazards and attempt to knock you back two paces. The only way to succeed, however, is to keep moving forward, building on the last set back and boldly looking towards the future with confidence and renewed self-esteem. As a young single mother you have skills and abilities others could never know without your experience. Use them to become a future success for yourself and your children one day at a time.