--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We can't always choose how we feel. We…" description: "\"We can't always choose how we feel. We can, however, choose what we do about it, which ironically can change how we feel!\" — Bill Crawford" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/56c/bill-crawford-3824_choose_we-can-t-always-choose-how-we-feel-we-ca_1761708.png" --- # We can't always choose how we feel. We can, however… ![“We can't always choose how we feel. We can, however, choose what we do about it, which ironically can change how we feel!” quote by Bill Crawford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/56c/bill-crawford-3824_choose_we-can-t-always-choose-how-we-feel-we-ca_1761708.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/56c/bill-crawford-3824_choose_we-can-t-always-choose-how-we-feel-we-ca_1761708.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/56c/bill-crawford-3824_choose_we-can-t-always-choose-how-we-feel-we-ca_1761708.png) > “We can't always choose how we feel. We can, however, choose what we do about it, which ironically can change how we feel!” [Bill Crawford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-crawford/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Emotions are not fully controllable, but actions are; choosing constructive actions can shift feelings positively. **In simple terms:** You can’t control feelings, but you can act to change them. Key Takeaway Act intentionally to influence your mood. Themes emotional regulation choice action psychology mindset agency Mood encouraging practical optimistic Type self‑help motivational psychological When to use this quote - daily decision making - stress management - therapy sessions - coaching - personal growth Key Concepts cognitive behavioral theory self‑efficacy habit formation Questions to Reflect On - What small action could improve your current mood? - How does habit affect emotional cycles? A Different Perspective Actions may not always change deep‑seated emotions instantly. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Funny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/funny/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) ## Related quotes > [I can't choose how i feel. But i can choose what I do about it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-rooney/i-can-t-choose-how-i-feel-but-i-can-choose-what-i-do-about-it/) [Andy Rooney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-rooney/) > [There are things in life you cannot choose: how you feel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paritoshik-sharma/there-are-things-in-life-you-cannot-choose-how-you-feel/) [Paritoshik Sharma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paritoshik-sharma/) > [I would like to feel special everyday and to feel so I must choose to walk in love every single day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherlyn-chopra/i-would-like-to-feel-special-everyday-and-to-feel-so-i-must-choose-to/) [Sherlyn Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherlyn-chopra/) > [Sometimes we can't help the way we feel, but we can mostly choose how we respond to it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-brancatisano/sometimes-we-can-t-help-the-way-we-feel-but-we-can-mostly-choose-how/) [Richard Brancatisano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-brancatisano/) > [As an actor, I feel, I should not choose a film just to help get great box office results but one that challenges me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rakshit-shetty/as-an-actor-i-feel-i-should-not-choose-a-film-just-to-help-get-great/) [Rakshit Shetty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rakshit-shetty/) > [He must feel that you choose to be with him, not that you need to be with him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherry-argov/he-must-feel-that-you-choose-to-be-with-him-not-that-you-need-to-be/) [Sherry Argov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherry-argov/) > [You are responsible for how you feel no matter what someone does to you, so choose to feel confident rather than angry and insecure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anurag-prakash-ray/you-are-responsible-for-how-you-feel-no-matter-what-someone-does-to/) [Anurag Prakash Ray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anurag-prakash-ray/) > [Vulcans can choose not to feel. But you are human, share it, let the world know you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gulshan-agarwal/vulcans-can-choose-not-to-feel-but-you-are-human-share-it-let-the/) [Gulshan Agarwal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gulshan-agarwal/) > [Choose to be at peace with yourself. Choose to feel good about yourself. You are indeed beautiful.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pontsho-manzi/choose-to-be-at-peace-with-yourself-choose-to-feel-good-about/) [Pontsho Manzi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pontsho-manzi/) > [There are things in life you cannot choose, how you feel, whom you love and when you will die.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paritoshik-sharma/there-are-things-in-life-you-cannot-choose-how-you-feel-whom-you-love/) [Paritoshik Sharma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paritoshik-sharma/) > [“Would I choose to continually be in this vicious cycle, or would I choose to feel wonderful and happy?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dotts/would-i-choose-to-continually-be-in-this-vicious-cycle-or-would-i/) Richard Dotts > [I believe in Love at first sight, I also believe in Hate at first sight, so it's up to you to choose how you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-kings/i-believe-in-love-at-first-sight-i-also-believe-in-hate-at-first/) [Chris Kings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-kings/) > [“So I was wrong when I told Rocky you could choose what you feel. It's not true. It's not even true that you can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nic-pizzolatto/so-i-was-wrong-when-i-told-rocky-you-could-choose-what-you-feel-it-s/) [Nic Pizzolatto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nic-pizzolatto/) > [If I've been working a lot and I've been away from my kids, then I don't go to the gym. It's okay to miss…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doutzen-kroes/if-i-ve-been-working-a-lot-and-i-ve-been-away-from-my-kids-then-i-don/) [Doutzen Kroes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doutzen-kroes/) > [We can only choose whether we will feel and not what we will feel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-keen/we-can-only-choose-whether-we-will-feel-and-not-what-we-will-feel/) [Sam Keen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-keen/) ## More by Bill Crawford > [Making changes isn't about stopping the problem, it's about starting the solution.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-crawford/making-changes-isn-t-about-stopping-the-problem-it-s-about-starting/) [Bill Crawford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-crawford/) > [Worry, shame, and fear can't be the energy with which we deal with food and weight. It only spurs us to eat more food…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-crawford/worry-shame-and-fear-can-t-be-the-energy-with-which-we-deal-with-food/) [Bill Crawford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-crawford/) > [One key to creating a meaningful life, is choosing what we want to feel, and for how long.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-crawford/one-key-to-creating-a-meaningful-life-is-choosing-what-we-want-to/) [Bill Crawford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-crawford/) > [The problem with lethargy is that doing nothing validates the fear that nothing can be done.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-crawford/the-problem-with-lethargy-is-that-doing-nothing-validates-the-fear/) [Bill Crawford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-crawford/) > [Want to change your experience of life? Change the problem to the practice field.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-crawford/want-to-change-your-experience-of-life-change-the-problem-to-the/) [Bill Crawford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-crawford/) > [Becoming critical in the face of criticism, only inspires more criticism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-crawford/becoming-critical-in-the-face-of-criticism-only-inspires-more/) [Bill Crawford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-crawford/) > [Children don't know that they are lovable until they are loved. They need to see it in our eyes before they can accept it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-crawford/children-don-t-know-that-they-are-lovable-until-they-are-loved-they/) [Bill Crawford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-crawford/) > [Creating a meaningful life has less to do with how we feel about our past than what we do about our future.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-crawford/creating-a-meaningful-life-has-less-to-do-with-how-we-feel-about-our/) [Bill Crawford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-crawford/) > [There are only three things we 'have to' do in this world we have to be born, we have to die, and we have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-crawford/there-are-only-three-things-we-have-to-do-in-this-world-we-have-to-be/) [Bill Crawford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-crawford/) > [Stress is an indicator of our belief in the value and validity of our worries and fears.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-crawford/stress-is-an-indicator-of-our-belief-in-the-value-and-validity-of-our/) [Bill Crawford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-crawford/) > [You can't use stress, anxiety, frustration, and worry to deal with your stress, anxiety, frustration, and worry. It's like pulling up to a burning…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-crawford/you-can-t-use-stress-anxiety-frustration-and-worry-to-deal-with-your/) [Bill Crawford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-crawford/) > [You can't 'cope with' change anymore than you can 'manage' stress.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-crawford/you-can-t-cope-with-change-anymore-than-you-can-manage-stress/) [Bill Crawford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-crawford/) > [When faced with conflicting thoughts and emotions, we must decide what to trust, what we fear, or what we know. What's important is that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-crawford/when-faced-with-conflicting-thoughts-and-emotions-we-must-decide-what/) [Bill Crawford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-crawford/) > [To spank or not to spank isn't the question the question is whether whether we are teaching a quality we want our kids to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-crawford/to-spank-or-not-to-spank-isn-t-the-question-the-question-is-whether/) [Bill Crawford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-crawford/) > [Love will keep us safe when we commit to choosing the kind of qualities, characteristics, and relationships that we would recommend to someone we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-crawford/love-will-keep-us-safe-when-we-commit-to-choosing-the-kind-of/) [Bill Crawford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-crawford/) [Explore all 121 Bill Crawford quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-crawford/) ## More Choose quotes > [Everyone needs someone to love, and I choose you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/everyone-needs-someone-to-love-and-i-choose-you/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [When you have a choice, choose happy!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pancho-barnes/when-you-have-a-choice-choose-happy/) Pancho Barnes > [You dont choose your life; it chooses you. Theres no point asking why life has reserved certain joys or griefs, you just accept them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/you-dont-choose-your-life-it-chooses-you-theres-no-point-asking-why/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [If somebody asks me to choose a biopic, it would be Narain Karthikeyan because I love racing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naga-chaitanya/if-somebody-asks-me-to-choose-a-biopic-it-would-be-narain-karthikeyan/) [Naga Chaitanya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naga-chaitanya/) > [“Either you soften your ego, or the world will do it for you. Choose!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bert-mccoy/either-you-soften-your-ego-or-the-world-will-do-it-for-you-choose/) [Bert McCoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bert-mccoy/) > [I'm aware of who I am and I'm comfortable with who I choose to date.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shibani-dandekar/i-m-aware-of-who-i-am-and-i-m-comfortable-with-who-i-choose-to-date/) [Shibani Dandekar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shibani-dandekar/) > [No actor wants to choose - they just want all of the options available to them all the time; we tend to be pretty…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gillian-jacobs/no-actor-wants-to-choose-they-just-want-all-of-the-options-available/) [Gillian Jacobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gillian-jacobs/) > [If you choose to work at a larger company over a smaller company, you are more likely to be higher paid.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-sweet/if-you-choose-to-work-at-a-larger-company-over-a-smaller-company-you/) [Julie Sweet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-sweet/) > [You can't choose what stays and what stays away.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/florence-welch/you-can-t-choose-what-stays-and-what-stays-away/) [Florence Welch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/florence-welch/) > [It's only a thought and a thought can be changed. Choose good ones.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-dyer/it-s-only-a-thought-and-a-thought-can-be-changed-choose-good-ones/) [Wayne Dyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-dyer/) > [People come into your life for a reason, a season or a lifetime...so you gotta choose who is good for you! Be wise, be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/people-come-into-your-life-for-a-reason-a-season-or-a-lifetime-so-you/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I'm not opposed - we manufacture a lot of socks in North Carolina - I just choose not to wear them. It's a Southern…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-burr/i-m-not-opposed-we-manufacture-a-lot-of-socks-in-north-carolina-i/) [Richard Burr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-burr/) > [Having too many options is bad. I want one person, just one. Not a whole bunch to choose from,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roderickthefirst/having-too-many-options-is-bad-i-want-one-person-just-one-not-a-whole/) RoderickTheFirst > [If I could be anyone, I'd choose the lead singer of Arcade Fire, Win Butler.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-kardashian/if-i-could-be-anyone-i-d-choose-the-lead-singer-of-arcade-fire-win/) [Rob Kardashian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-kardashian/) > [People are as happy as they choose to be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ford/people-are-as-happy-as-they-choose-to-be/) [Henry Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ford/) Browse all 3,851 Choose quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "We can't always choose how we feel. 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