Change Your Mind - Change Your Life

“The greatest discovery of my generation is that human beings can alter their lives by altering their attitudes of mind.” – William James

As huge of a discovery this was to the acclaimed American psychologist and philosopher, so it was to me at about age eighteen. Like a light bulb that went off in my head, I realized for the first time with distinct clarity that I could actually alter my life; and boy did my life need altering. I was a troubled teen stuck in the wrong crowd and carrying a bad attitude.

Some people go through life never knowing this eternal truth that they can change their lives. Some are persuaded to believe that destiny has been written for them and there is no changing it. To some that belief is systemically bound up within their religious beliefs. Some are trapped by their own fears and circumstances. Many born into lives of poverty believe they can never change their circumstances. I have witnessed families within the welfare system caught in this tragic belief passed down through three generations and sometimes more. They believe they simply cannot change their circumstances and they go through life stubbornly clinging to this self defeating belief.

What is your belief? Can you really change your life by altering your attitudes? In the fields of psychology and self-help, the belief is held to be a fact. Still, large segments of our population still believe that destiny has been written for them.

I have found that the way one believes on this has much to do with their circumstances. Sure it is easy to believe that you can change your life when you are wealthy and many of life’s negative barriers have been removed from your path. If you are among the lower classes of earth’s population, barriers of all kinds prevent you from doing much of anything. However within this very paradox lies the truth if we are courageous enough to seek the answer. Perhaps it takes an upper class of free and wealthy persons to prove the point that one can change their lives.

Given the proposition that you are totally free to do what you want and you are wealthy enough to buy what you need to alter your circumstances, isn't it clear that you can alter not only your life, but the lives of others as well?

But isn’t it true that there are those among the wealthy and free that have been hindered in altering their lives? Absolutely! In fact it may surprise you to find that a good number of persons of well-to-do status have been hindered by the same belief that destiny controls their lives and they are utterly helpless in altering their circumstances. With this said, it sort of evens the playing field as far as using freedom and wealth as an excuse for changing ones life.

It is here that I find the greatest exhilaration in believing that I can alter my life by altering my attitudes. It is because the biggest barrier that hinders our ability to change our lives is belief. There is no doubt that circumstances play a large role in hindering an individual from changing their lives for the better. There is no doubt that wealth and freedom play large roles; but there has been a large pool of evidence among human beings that despite one’s station in life, one can make a difference and change their life. There has been story upon story of poor and unlikely candidates that have believed and worked on their circumstances to change their lives for the better.

And here is the greatest joy of all – knowing that you and I can also change our circumstances if we change our minds. William James said it and it is true. You can alter your life by altering your attitudes of mind. The first attitude to change is to believe that it is possible. Belief is strong; stronger than we can imagine. Belief can move mountains. Through my work with the welfare-to-work programs, I have seen people in terrible circumstances change their lives within a few short months by believing that they can and then doing something positive to change. I have witnessed the power of this belief face to face but also in the many stories I have read of successful people who started out in terrible circumstances.

You too can change your life. You must believe it. Change your mind. Then find a good coach, one who like Oprah Winfrey went from rags to riches. You would be surprised how many there are out there that are willing to help you overcome disbelief. Today as you take on the world, believe that you can control your circumstances and you too can change your life for the better as so many others have. Change your mind and change your life. Begin today!

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