--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We may not be able to change our…" description: "\"“We may not be able to change our circumstances, but we can change the way we think about them.”\" — Lydia Brownback" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7a6/lydia-brownback-30988_change_we-may-not-be-able-to-change-our-circums_392861.jpg" --- # We may not be able to change our circumstances, but we can… ![“We may not be able to change our circumstances, but we can change the way we think about them.” quote by Lydia Brownback](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7a6/lydia-brownback-30988_change_we-may-not-be-able-to-change-our-circums_392861.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7a6/lydia-brownback-30988_change_we-may-not-be-able-to-change-our-circums_392861.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7a6/lydia-brownback-30988_change_we-may-not-be-able-to-change-our-circums_392861.jpg) > ““We may not be able to change our circumstances, but we can change the way we think about them.”” [Lydia Brownback](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lydia-brownback/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Our thoughts shape perception; changing mindset alters experience despite unchanged external conditions. **In simple terms:** Changing thoughts changes experience. Key Takeaway Adjust perspective to improve wellbeing. Themes mindset resilience perception Mood reflective determined Type motivational inspirational When to use this quote - personal crisis - career stress - health challenges - relationship conflicts Key Concepts cognitive reframing psychology self‑efficacy Questions to Reflect On - How can you reframe a current difficulty? - What limits does external reality impose? A Different Perspective Changing thoughts alone may not resolve systemic issues. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Change](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/change/) ## Related quotes > [We might not be able to change our circumstances, but we CAN change our attitude.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beth-moore/we-might-not-be-able-to-change-our-circumstances-but-we-can-change/) [Beth Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beth-moore/) > [You can't always change your circumstances, but you can change the way you experience them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabrielle-bernstein/you-can-t-always-change-your-circumstances-but-you-can-change-the-way/) [Gabrielle Bernstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabrielle-bernstein/) > [No matter what challenging situation you may find yourself in, imagine the best outcome of it and feel it! When you do, you will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rhonda-byrne/no-matter-what-challenging-situation-you-may-find-yourself-in-imagine/) [Rhonda Byrne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rhonda-byrne/) > [When you want to change your circumstances, you must first change your thinking.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rhonda-byrne/when-you-want-to-change-your-circumstances-you-must-first-change-your/) [Rhonda Byrne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rhonda-byrne/) > [I just have always felt that people don't change, circumstances change.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abby-lee-miller/i-just-have-always-felt-that-people-don-t-change-circumstances-change/) [Abby Lee Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abby-lee-miller/) > [God doesn't always change the circumstances, but He can change us to meet the circumstances. That's what it means to live by faith.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-w-wiersbe/god-doesn-t-always-change-the-circumstances-but-he-can-change-us-to/) [Warren W. Wiersbe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-w-wiersbe/) > [You can change the circumstances but you can never change man's inner nature.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-perlman/you-can-change-the-circumstances-but-you-can-never-change-man-s-inner/) [Ron Perlman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-perlman/) > [“If you cannot change your circumstances, then change your attitude.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-w-boyer-2/if-you-cannot-change-your-circumstances-then-change-your-attitude/) [Mark W. Boyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-w-boyer-2/) > [“Never permit circumstances to change your plans, but give so much character to your plans that they will change circumstances. Give so much character…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christian-d-larson/never-permit-circumstances-to-change-your-plans-but-give-so-much-2/) [Christian D. Larson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christian-d-larson/) > [People around us change and circumstances change. We can often find ourselves struggling against those things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-housden/people-around-us-change-and-circumstances-change-we-can-often-find/) [Roger Housden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-housden/) > [Never permit circumstances to change your plans, but give so much character to your plans that they will change circumstances.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christian-d-larson-2/never-permit-circumstances-to-change-your-plans-but-give-so-much/) [Christian D Larson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christian-d-larson-2/) > [I may not be able to change the world I see around me, but I can change the way I see the world within…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-c-maxwell/i-may-not-be-able-to-change-the-world-i-see-around-me-but-i-can/) [John C. Maxwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-c-maxwell/) > [Time changes every man. Unusual circumstances change them in unusual ways](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryant-gumbel/time-changes-every-man-unusual-circumstances-change-them-in-unusual/) [Bryant Gumbel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryant-gumbel/) > [I don't think circumstances change who you are as a person. I don't believe they change your values - unless you willingly would like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johanna-konta/i-don-t-think-circumstances-change-who-you-are-as-a-person-i-don-t/) [Johanna Konta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johanna-konta/) > [It doesn't matter what your circumstances are at the present moment. Think positively, expect only favorable results and situations, and circumstances will change accordingly.Your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dranil-kr-sinha/it-doesn-t-matter-what-your-circumstances-are-at-the-present-moment/) [DrAnil Kr Sinha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dranil-kr-sinha/) ## More by Lydia Brownback > [“Lord, I think I made a mess of things. So I am placing the whole situation in your hands. Do with it what you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lydia-brownback/lord-i-think-i-made-a-mess-of-things-so-i-am-placing-the-whole/) [Lydia Brownback](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lydia-brownback/) > [“God doesn't want our efforts at self-improvement. He wants our trust in his kindness toward us in Christ.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lydia-brownback/god-doesn-t-want-our-efforts-at-self-improvement-he-wants-our-trust/) [Lydia Brownback](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lydia-brownback/) > [“Real trust isn't believing that God will do things as we expect he should; it is, rather, believing that whatever he does is good…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lydia-brownback/real-trust-isn-t-believing-that-god-will-do-things-as-we-expect-he/) [Lydia Brownback](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lydia-brownback/) > [“We will never find contentment—freedom from that angry feeling of unfairness—by getting the things that are rightfully ours. We will find it by letting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lydia-brownback/we-will-never-find-contentment-freedom-from-that-angry-feeling-of/) [Lydia Brownback](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lydia-brownback/) > [“If we’re frustrated when the Internet is slow or excessively irritated by the full-basketed shopper in the express lane, then it’s pretty likely that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lydia-brownback/if-we-re-frustrated-when-the-internet-is-slow-or-excessively/) [Lydia Brownback](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lydia-brownback/) > [“The only way to joy is to interpret our circumstances by God's Word rather than to judge God by our circumstances.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lydia-brownback/the-only-way-to-joy-is-to-interpret-our-circumstances-by-god-s-word/) [Lydia Brownback](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lydia-brownback/) > [“Men and women have been hardwired with distinctive gender traits that, when working together, serve the human race and display the glory of God.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lydia-brownback/men-and-women-have-been-hardwired-with-distinctive-gender-traits-that/) [Lydia Brownback](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lydia-brownback/) > [“When we turn life’s little pleasures into remedies for life’s troubles, we are setting up idols in our hearts, which actually push God aside.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lydia-brownback/when-we-turn-life-s-little-pleasures-into-remedies-for-life-s/) [Lydia Brownback](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lydia-brownback/) > [“Contentment does not lie around the next corner. It is not waiting for us on the other side of today’s difficulty, nor is it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lydia-brownback/contentment-does-not-lie-around-the-next-corner-it-is-not-waiting-for/) [Lydia Brownback](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lydia-brownback/) > [“God is glorified not by calling strong women but by giving His strength to weak women.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lydia-brownback/god-is-glorified-not-by-calling-strong-women-but-by-giving-his/) [Lydia Brownback](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lydia-brownback/) > [“Quit looking at your inability. Nothing is impossible with God, and you will find a clear path ahead if you look at him instead.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lydia-brownback/quit-looking-at-your-inability-nothing-is-impossible-with-god-and-you/) [Lydia Brownback](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lydia-brownback/) > [“However Santa is handled in your home, it provides an opportunity to teach children about wise words as they are exposed to those whose…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lydia-brownback/however-santa-is-handled-in-your-home-it-provides-an-opportunity-to/) [Lydia Brownback](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lydia-brownback/) > [“We aren't going to choose paths of wisdom if we don't trust the One who has marked out those paths for us. Fear of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lydia-brownback/we-aren-t-going-to-choose-paths-of-wisdom-if-we-don-t-trust-the-one/) [Lydia Brownback](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lydia-brownback/) > [“Our problem really isn’t that we need something we don’t have; our problem is that we don’t find God to be enough for us.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lydia-brownback/our-problem-really-isn-t-that-we-need-something-we-don-t-have-our/) [Lydia Brownback](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lydia-brownback/) > [“Happiness, or contentment, comes from where we look and what we believe, not from what we have.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lydia-brownback/happiness-or-contentment-comes-from-where-we-look-and-what-we-believe/) [Lydia Brownback](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lydia-brownback/) [Explore all 17 Lydia Brownback quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lydia-brownback/) ## More Change quotes > [Only within yourself exists the other reality for which you long. I can give you nothing that has not already its being within yourself.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/only-within-yourself-exists-the-other-reality-for-which-you-long-i/) [Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/) > [Life is full of change. That's how we learn and grow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/life-is-full-of-change-that-s-how-we-learn-and-grow/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I can't believe that I'm sitting in meetings with Steven Spielberg, Tom Hanks, and Annette Bening. I want to take on that responsibility to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ross-williams/i-can-t-believe-that-i-m-sitting-in-meetings-with-steven-spielberg/) [Roger Ross Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ross-williams/) > [“…progress isn't necessarily about change but about things turning out as we want them to”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-hogan/progress-isn-t-necessarily-about-change-but-about-things-turning-out/) Phil Hogan > [Nobody can tell me that no changes are necessary in Washington.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-weld/nobody-can-tell-me-that-no-changes-are-necessary-in-washington/) [William Weld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-weld/) > [If my campaign is not in the debate, we will not be talking about how we really fix this problem of endless and expanding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-stein/if-my-campaign-is-not-in-the-debate-we-will-not-be-talking-about-how/) [Jill Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-stein/) > [When you walk down the street of Kabul your values for life changes, they do change.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marco-pierre-white/when-you-walk-down-the-street-of-kabul-your-values-for-life-changes/) [Marco Pierre White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marco-pierre-white/) > [Your world will change whether or not you choose to change, but you have the power to choose it's direction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/your-world-will-change-whether-or-not-you-choose-to-change-but-you/) [Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/) > [I hope I continue to evolve.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-flair/i-hope-i-continue-to-evolve/) [Charlotte Flair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-flair/) > [“Stay focused on bringing people together and more on positive messaging so that you can be the change you wish to see in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/germany-kent/stay-focused-on-bringing-people-together-and-more-on-positive/) [Germany Kent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/germany-kent/) > [The biggest change for me as a mom was realizing I needed to put someone else before me. Now the hardest part about the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-alexis/the-biggest-change-for-me-as-a-mom-was-realizing-i-needed-to-put/) [Kim Alexis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-alexis/) > [“After the funeral, my life changed. I felt as if time were suddenly precious, water going down an open drain, and I could not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-albom/after-the-funeral-my-life-changed-i-felt-as-if-time-were-suddenly/) [Mitch Albom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-albom/) > [You practice mindfulness, on the one hand, to be calm and peaceful. On the other hand, as you practice mindfulness and live a life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-practice-mindfulness-on-the-one-hand-to-be-calm-and-peaceful-on/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Irish research will contribute to global progress and have the potential to help all countries realise the potential of their land sectors in addressing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/enda-kenny/irish-research-will-contribute-to-global-progress-and-have-the/) [Enda Kenny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/enda-kenny/) > [No man can change himself into anything from sheer reason; he can only change into what he potentially is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-jung/no-man-can-change-himself-into-anything-from-sheer-reason-he-can-only/) [Carl Jung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-jung/) [Browse all 33,920 Change quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/change/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“We may not be able to change our circumstances, but we can change the way we think about them.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Lydia Brownback" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lydia-brownback/we-may-not-be-able-to-change-our-circumstances-but-we-can-change-the/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Change" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lydia-brownback/we-may-not-be-able-to-change-our-circumstances-but-we-can-change-the/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7a6/lydia-brownback-30988_change_we-may-not-be-able-to-change-our-circums_392861.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7a6/lydia-brownback-30988_change_we-may-not-be-able-to-change-our-circums_392861.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7a6/lydia-brownback-30988_change_we-may-not-be-able-to-change-our-circums_392861.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“We may not be able to change our circumstances, but we can change the way we think about them.” — Lydia Brownback", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Lydia Brownback", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lydia-brownback/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“We may not be able to...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lydia-brownback/we-may-not-be-able-to-change-our-circumstances-but-we-can-change-the/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lydia-brownback/we-may-not-be-able-to-change-our-circumstances-but-we-can-change-the/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```