“All these questions, and so many more like them, can be bundled up into one package called attitude. And attitude can be summed up in one word—choice. Choosing to change our attitude may seem like a small change, but it can’t happen unless we recognize that it’s all up to us.”
Richard Carlson
Let that sink in for a moment.
We spend so much time asking questions like:
- Why is this happening to me?
- Why aren’t things working out the way I expected?
- Why do some people seem to catch every break, while I’m stuck?
But if we peel back the layers, these questions are really about attitude—how we choose to respond when life doesn’t go according to plan.
Here’s the hard truth (and the good news): it’s all up to us.
The Smallest Big Shift You Can Make
Attitude isn’t just a mood. It’s not about waking up with a smile and pretending everything’s fine. It’s deeper than that. It’s about how we frame the world—what story we choose to tell ourselves when challenges appear.
And yes, it’s a choice.
Seth Godin often says that “we get to decide the story we tell ourselves.” That story shapes everything. The words you use to describe a situation can turn a setback into a learning moment—or into a lifelong grudge. The lens you choose determines whether an obstacle becomes a brick wall or a stepping stone.
When you change your attitude, you don’t magically fix all your problems. But you do change how you engage with them—and that changes everything.
Three Practical Ways to Choose Your Attitude Today
- Pause before reacting.Next time something frustrates you, resist the knee-jerk reaction. Take a breath. Ask, What story am I telling myself about this? Is it helping me?
- Reframe the narrative.Instead of “Why is this happening to me?” try “What can I learn from this?” or “How can I grow through this?” The shift in language rewires how you see the moment.
- Practice gratitude on purpose.Write down three things you’re thankful for every day. Gratitude isn’t fluffy; it’s an attitude anchor. It reminds you that even in hard times, there is good to be noticed.
It’s All Up to You
Attitude is the single lever you control, even when everything else feels out of reach. Choosing your attitude isn’t always easy. But it’s always worth it.
When you choose your attitude, you reclaim your agency. You stop waiting for the world to change, and you start changing the way you show up in it.
And that choice—small as it seems—can ripple through every part of your life.
So here’s the question for today: What attitude will you choose?
