The freedom to choose our attitude gives us power and control over ourselves, our interactions and our daily experience of the world around us. Attitude can change in an instant, but the recognition of our power of choice enables us to be content, productive, appreciative and growing. We can choose how we interpret events, interactions and even transient feelings. Exercise of this freedom enhances our quality of life immeasurably.
We cannot control everything. We are born into circumstances and grow up in circumstances that are beyond our power to choose. All people are not given the same environmental or genetic factors that powerfully influence the quality of their lives. Some people are born into abundant resources, love and opportunity. Some are gifted with tremendous intellectual abilities or develop innate social skills. Others start out with few resources, physical or mental impairments or lack of parental love and caring. Circumstances change over the course of our lives as well. Sometimes things improve, other times events occur that are unwelcome or otherwise detrimental to our well being or happiness such as loss of a loved one, economic hardship, or illness.
As we age and grow, it is important to realize that our circumstances can and will change. Our fitness for survival and success rests on our ability to adapt and adjust, to change our approach, our strategy and our tactics for learning to cope with the situation we face. Our brain has evolved for just this purpose, giving us higher reasoning, beyond the simple reactionary stimulus response system of less evolved brains. We have the ability to creatively adapt through our behavior, our actions, and especially our attitude. Attitude conveys a mental and emotional state that characterizes how a person interprets and reacts to events, circumstances and people through their speech, actions and behavior. This conveyance sends an outward signal to the world that causes influence. That influence, sometimes quite subtle, yet easily interpreted subconsciously by other people, causes events and circumstances around us to change. Hence, if we send signals such as disinterest, disgust or other negative reaction, the response from others will change accordingly. If our attitude signals interest, concern, compassion or gratitude the response we get will be much different. At some point in life we must decide to take responsibility and control of ourselves and our direction. Adjusting our attitude is a major step in that direction.
This powerful tool in our arsenal of adaptability and influence over our circumstances cannot be taken away from us. We will always retain the freedom and the ability to choose the way we interpret events and circumstances, or at least the approach to them that we will take. Realize the subtle but powerful influence your attitude conveys and how, over time through repeated interactions, it moves people and circumstances into better opportunity and better outcomes more consistent with your hopes and desires.