Back in May one of the worst earthquakes in decades struck central China, with 9,000 people killed in collapsed schools, nearly 2,000 children orphaned by the tremor, and a deadly toxic chemical leak. Today another strong aftershock rocked China. Social media has been crowdsourcing and reporting news by the minute.

A recent poll of 4,300 Chinese Quake survivors conducted by newspaper China Youth Daily and news portal Sohu.com, showed that 88 percent thought that the recent China earthquake had “changed” their lives. 82 percent of those polled report that they plan to “cherish life more and create more value for society” as a result of the quake. Over 70 percent plan to do more to help the needy. A recap of results:

Over at Schreiner’s Media Landscape, they suggest that China’s earthquake is karmic - and wonder if the quake can improve their country’s attitude. Seems so, Schreiner.

After natural disasters, attitude, culture, and fatalistic beliefs can affect how survivors perceive risk and recover. Devastation can leave people with strong emotions and a sense of uncertainty. On a more micro level, uncertain times, personal trauma, and crises can shake your attitude.

Cultivating an attitude of resilience can help us cope. Resilience is ordinary, not extraordinary. It starts with having caring and supportive relationships with family members, friends, and other connections. Encouragement and reassurance bolster a person’s resilience. But resilience is a trait that can be learned.

Some of the ways you can build your resilience?

• Try to see beyond today - and focus on future circumstances.
• Accept circumstances that cannot be changed.
• Develop realistic, measurable, bite-size even babystep goals.
• Take decisive actions, rather than detach yourself.
• Surround yourself with encouragers - life is impossible if you journey through it alone.
• Be an encourager - if you feel you don’t have anyone in your life, then go out and be a support to someone. It will return to you in ways you can’t possibly imagine.
• Acknowledge your own strength and resourcefulness.
• Maintain an optimistic outlook by visualizing a better future.
• Meditate or write - to better understand and accept your feelings.
• Stay flexible - and realize that resolution or outcomes may not be as you hope or plan.
• Look to self help groups, online resources, and books for additional strength.

99.9% of all challenges come without warning. In 1990, my family’s town (Plainfield, Illinois) was wiped off the map by a microburst — a huge storm wherein the sky opens up and air is pushed down. When it hits the ground it spreads like a tornado and destroys. Our town was declared a federal disaster - 28 people lost their lives, thousands were injured, and many lost their homes. The storm came without warning - no siren, no breaking news. And that’s the way many challenges come. They don’t set up appointments. They just come, leaving us feeling hopeless and helpless. We want to give up.

Here is the secret - you can make it. Don’t give up or lose hope. It’s okay to feel the pain and look for the meaning in the experience, but don’t stop living. This is your opportunity to have your life deepened in ways you may not yet be able to imagine. Whatever you are going through or have gone through - you can make it.

This week we debut our premiere issue of Attitude Digest, a quarterly magazine about attitude enrichment, employee motivation, and team building. We created Attitude Digest for managers and business executives who want to motivate employees and increase chances of success in the workplace, relationships, and life.

What makes Attitude Digest unique? The magazine is published in an “A.D.D.-friendly” format. Which means it is highly approachable and streamlined, designed to be easily digested in bits and pieces with short, entertaining articles, brief reviews, and bulleted main ideas. Attitude Digest editor, Jocelyn Godfrey, has 12 years of experience contributing to national magazines, ghostwriting and book editing.

You can subscribe right now to Attitude Digest http://www.everythingattitude.com/store.magazine.html.for $59.00. The first 1500 subscribers will also receive my latest book, “Who Put a Lizard in My Lasagna,” and a motivational video/DVD (a $99 value).

Ivan Misner, over at Networking Now blog (on the Entrepreneur.com blog network), has an interesting post today about solutions-focused attitudes. Too many folks in this world, says Misner, have a problem-focused attitude, which invites resistance and stunts growth.

Do you have a problem-focused attitude or a solutions-focused attitude?

People with Problem-Focused Attitudes focus on:

• What’s wrong
• What needs fixing
• Blame
• Control
• The past
• Deficits and weaknesses
• Complications
• Definitions

People with Solutions-Focused Attitudes focus on:

• What’s wanted
• What’s working
• Progress
• Influence
• Collaboration
• Resources and strengths
• Simplicity
• Actions

In business, executives are trained to problem solve. Think about all the problem-solving tools they use: cause and effect diagrams, flow charts, risk analysis, USP analysis, Porter’s Five Forces, systems diagrams, even SWOT analysis. Business literature has long suggested that problem-solving ability is one of the four-dimensions of leadership. But executives could greatly benefit from being more solutions-focused. All it takes is a little reframing. Instead of asking “why didn’t we hit our targets?” they could ask “what do we need to do next time to hit our targets?”

Solutions-focused executives are better able to create lizard experiences at work. What’s a lizard experience? It starts by using the best of who you are to create the best of what you want. You focus on what you want instead of the negatives. You focus on your assets, your opportunities, your strengths, your resources, your attitude. The more lizard experiences you create with your team and for your customers or clients, the more business you will generate. The more your sales and profits will soar. Your company’s bottom line will increase, turnover will decrease, and your employees will become more connected and passionate.

The next time you find yourself focused on problems and how to fix things, step back and ask yourself if you need a solutions-focused attitude adjustment.

I admit it, I’m a big NASCAR fan. As much as I get psyched up about the hard driving action, Nascar driver attitudes on and off the track can be offensive. Over at LisaM321’s blog, she’s worried that Kyle Busch’s post-race win boasting will lead to Tony Stewart bad attitude traits. And NASCAR is notably littered with bad attitude rockstars. They can’t control their temper. They make crazy moves on the track.

Do you have to act like a jerk to lead and win races? Do you have to be a driver that fans love to hate?

Maybe not. Danica Patrick believes the “right attitude” allowed her to become the first woman to win an IRL IndyCar race in the male-dominated world of motor racing. And a ton of folks are saying that NASCAR needs Danica Patrick. FOX race analyst Jeff Hammond led Darrell Waltrip to two of DW’s three Winston Cup championships as his crew chief. And he has recently reported on Darrell racing at Darlington, suggesting that the intriguing and challenging racetrack “is all about attitude.”

Taking the checkered flag in NASCAR and in life requires a positive attitude. And demonstrating self-control requires good emotional management. I’m not suggesting that you suppress your negative emotions. I’m only suggesting that you relieve your negative emotions in a more constructive way. It can help you prevent a disastrous finish. A few tips for NASCAR drivers and for everyday folks like you and me:

• Practice Patience
• Recognize the elements that push our buttons (change, challenges, unexpected events, negative people) and inspire us to respond
• Let it go, and choose to make every situation better
• Renew your mind and body so you can get to a place where your thinking is better
• Don’t sweat it. You can always rally to overcome an early spin that could have knocked you out of contention

Hey Attitude Kickers!

May is already gearing up to be a busy month for me. On May 15, I’ll be releasing the first issue EVER of my new magazine “Attitude Digest.” I’m really excited, as it’s going to share tons of information on how to “kick in your attitude” on a daily basis.

The magazine will include sections on health, relationships, team-building, and leadership — and the important role that attitude plays in all these areas. The magazine will include articles from not only me, but also other experts who understand the power of attitude. Attitude Kickers will also be given the ability to participate through monthly contests.

I’d love to hear from fellow Attitude Kickers about their perspective and stories on attitude. Who knows it might be featured in an upcoming issue. If you have something that you would like to share send it my way!

Two year subscriptions are $59 and include 8 editions of “Attitude Digest,” and a copy of “Who Put a Lizard in My Lasagna,” with an accompanying DVD. For more details visit: http://www.everythingattitude.com/store.magazine.html