“Everything can be taken from a man but one thing: the last of the human freedoms – to choose one’s attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one’s own way.” – Viktor E. Frankl
“Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things.” – Philippians 4:8 (New King James version)
Choice. It’s something that human beings have the capacity for.
Do you see and agree with this?
Do you go through life with a sense of helplessness and feeling like a victim?
If so, could it be that you have yet to embrace your ability to choose your attitude or beliefs?
What if you could make different choices that could lead to different outcomes, whether we’re talking about your career, your relationship, your marriage, your family, your health, your finances, or your friendships?
What I’ve found in my personal experience and work with people is that we often experience the results of our worldview which consists of deeper beliefs (or lack thereof) about the world, about ourselves, about God, about others, about life after death, and about our purpose for being.
But if we have a worldview or belief system where “life is happening to us” and we’re a hapless victim, then we often feel out of control, angry, anxious, and unstable.
In the first quote, Victor Frankl, an Austrian psychiatrist and Holocaust survivor who wrote the famous book Man’s Search for Meaning, conveys this idea that we can choose our attitude in any given situation even if we can’t always choose our situation.
In the second quote, a Bible verse by Paul the apostle, he is urging the Christian believer to focus and meditate on beliefs that are life-giving vs. beliefs that are negative and life-draining.
So, do you tend to choose your attitude? Or does your attitude choose you?
Do you tend to choose what beliefs to focus on? Or do your feelings/beliefs run the show?
I would argue that if we have a worldview or belief system where we have a choice in how we view what’s happening to us or in the types of beliefs we want to focus and meditate upon, then we have the opportunity to empower ourselves even when facing difficulties or challenges in life.
Key Takeaway:
Believing we can make choices including the choice on what we meditate on, our attitude, or how we choose to view the world is a means of self-empowerment. By self-empowerment, I simply mean the ability to empower oneself by acting on the gift of choice that we are given in this life.
Questions for consideration:
Where do you feel out of control, anxious, stressed, stuck, or frustrated in life?
In those situations, do you believe you have a choice in your attitude?
If you do believe you have a choice, what is a different way you can view the situation that would be more helpful?
In the Christian worldview, Paul encourages the believer to meditate on beliefs that are noble, just, pure, lovely, praiseworthy, excellent, and of good report. Whether you are a believer or not, what is a belief you could embrace that fits one of these criteria? And how could embracing such a belief help you moving forward?
If these ideas seem challenging to implement in your life, consider setting up a complimentary discovery call with me, and let’s chat about what you need to move forward towards a thriving life!
