We may have heard it all before, but the way we think really does have an impact on our lives. We can gradually change circumstances by altering our thoughts.

You have heard it said that you can't change others but you can change yourself.We tend to wish that situations will change yet we do nothing to make them change. Changes must come from within before they appear outwardly. We have to have a desire to change.

Depending on the circumstances of our lives, we can become bitter toward life, others and even ourselves. We have trained ourselves to think as we do. In essence, we have conditioned ourselves to think negatively. We think that we can't do this or that; we doubt that we will get what we desire.

This was the pattern that I had developed in my own life. I blamed everyone and everything for my misfortune without realizing that the source was within my own thoughts. My own negative thinking was at the root of the problem. Finally, I realized that the only way things were going to change was if I changed myself. I had to rid myself of old habitual negative thought patterns and develop a more positive outlook on life. This, of course, is easier said than done. It took years for me to become the bitter, unhappy person that I was and I would not become a completely different person overnight.

I had read a few books on positive thinking, but that's all I did was read; I didn't actually apply the concepts. Doubt crept in again and I did'nt think it would work. More time went by and I had become even more negative and bitter so I decided to give it a try. I began repeating positive statements over and over in my head. I continued this for a few weeks, yet nothing seemed any different. At this point, I was very doubtful. I felt it was no use, so I just quit. A few weeks later, I began noticing subtle little changes. I was getting along with people better. I was feeling calmer and my luck seemed to improve in certain areas. In general, things were just better. I even felt better and seemed to have more energy. This is when I made the decision to start repeating the positive statements once again.It did seem to be working. Since then, there has been some major changes in my life. I am not usually comfortable with changes, but these changes have been positive.

I know that the way we think does indeed affect our lives, our circumstances, our relationships with others and the way we feel. We cannot control the world around us by the way we think but we can control the way we accept and deal with life's situations. Even though we may not be able to stop negative events from occurring, we can modify our thinking to deal with those times in the most positive manner possible. There are many times when it is very difficult to maintain a positive outlook. This is when it is needed the most. It is very difficult to fall back into negative habits when things go wrong, but if you persist you will see the difference. Changing my thinking has moved mountains for me. I know that it works but like anything, it takes time. Try to be more patient and understanding with others and with yourself. Smile at the person you see walking down the street. Look for the silver lining in every cloud and find it! I did, and I'm positive that you can too.