--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If you can't change it.. change the way…" description: "\"If you can't change it.. change the way you think about it\" — Mary Engelbreit" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6e9/mary-engelbreit-13552_can-t-change_if-you-can-t-change-it-change-the-way-yo_1150303.png" --- # If you can't change it.. change the way you think about it ![“If you can't change it.. change the way you think about it” quote by Mary Engelbreit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6e9/mary-engelbreit-13552_can-t-change_if-you-can-t-change-it-change-the-way-yo_1150303.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6e9/mary-engelbreit-13552_can-t-change_if-you-can-t-change-it-change-the-way-yo_1150303.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6e9/mary-engelbreit-13552_can-t-change_if-you-can-t-change-it-change-the-way-yo_1150303.png) > “If you can't change it.. change the way you think about it” [Mary Engelbreit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-engelbreit/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. When circumstances are unchangeable, shift your perspective to alter impact. **In simple terms:** Change your mindset if you can't change the situation. Key Takeaway Adjust your thinking to overcome obstacles. Themes mindset resilience perception Mood reflective empowering Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - Stress management - conflict resolution - creative problem solving Key Concepts Cognitive reframing psychology Questions to Reflect On - What thoughts keep you stuck? - How can you reframe a challenge positively? A Different Perspective Changing perspective may not address underlying systemic issues. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Can't change](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/can-t-change/) [Change](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/change/) [Change Change](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/change-change/) [Change Way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/change-way/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Think](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/think/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/way/) [Way Think](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/way-think/) ## Related quotes > [What you're supposed to do when you don't like a thing is change it. If you can't change it, change the way you think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-angelou/what-you-re-supposed-to-do-when-you-don-t-like-a-thing-is-change-it/) [Maya Angelou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-angelou/) > [“if you don't like something change it and if you cannot change it ,change the way you you think about it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-engelbreit/if-you-don-t-like-something-change-it-and-if-you-cannot-change-it/) [Mary Engelbreit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-engelbreit/) > [“Change the way you think to change the things you get in life.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seema-brain-openers/change-the-way-you-think-to-change-the-things-you-get-in-life/) [Seema Brain Openers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seema-brain-openers/) > [You have to change the way you think to change the way you act.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonya-parker/you-have-to-change-the-way-you-think-to-change-the-way-you-act/) [Sonya Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonya-parker/) > [When you change the way you think, you can change the way you feel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-d-burns/when-you-change-the-way-you-think-you-can-change-the-way-you-feel/) [David D. Burns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-d-burns/) > [“Change the way you think and you will change the way you feel.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charmaine-smith-ladd/change-the-way-you-think-and-you-will-change-the-way-you-feel/) [Charmaine Smith Ladd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charmaine-smith-ladd/) > [You have to CHANGE the way you THINK in order to CHANGE the way you FEEL](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-roberts/you-have-to-change-the-way-you-think-in-order-to-change-the-way-you/) [Robin Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-roberts/) > [There's never been a better time to change the way you think. Replace every 'I can't' with 'How can I?' It might sound like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maynard-webb/there-s-never-been-a-better-time-to-change-the-way-you-think-replace/) [Maynard Webb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maynard-webb/) > [“If you can't even change the way you read. How can you change the way you think..”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/umang-joshi/if-you-can-t-even-change-the-way-you-read-how-can-you-change-the-way/) [Umang joshi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/umang-joshi/) > [If you are going to do TPS you must do it all the way. You also need to change the way you think. You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taiichi-ohno/if-you-are-going-to-do-tps-you-must-do-it-all-the-way-you-also-need/) [Taiichi Ohno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taiichi-ohno/) > [I have to get better, but I can't change the way I play.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adrian-beltre/i-have-to-get-better-but-i-can-t-change-the-way-i-play/) [Adrian Beltre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adrian-beltre/) > [My lawnmower can't change in the way that my son can or that I can.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-bogost/my-lawnmower-can-t-change-in-the-way-that-my-son-can-or-that-i-can/) [Ian Bogost](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-bogost/) > [“We cant change who we are, but we can change the way we do things.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edwin-medina/we-cant-change-who-we-are-but-we-can-change-the-way-we-do-things/) [Edwin Medina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edwin-medina/) > [If you dont like something, change it. If you cant change it, change the way you think about it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-you-dont-like-something-change-it-if-you-cant-change-it-change-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [If you don't like something, change it. If you can't change it, change the way you think about it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-you-don-t-like-something-change-it-if-you-can-t-change-it-change/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by Mary Engelbreit > [Life is too short to leave your walls bare or colorless. Unless you like bare and colorless then it is fine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-engelbreit/life-is-too-short-to-leave-your-walls-bare-or-colorless-unless-you/) [Mary Engelbreit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-engelbreit/) > [The golden opportunity you are seeking is within yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-engelbreit/the-golden-opportunity-you-are-seeking-is-within-yourself/) [Mary Engelbreit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-engelbreit/) > [My best ideas come to me at unexpected moments, like when I'm reading children's books to my kids (the pictures inspire me), shopping, driving…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-engelbreit/my-best-ideas-come-to-me-at-unexpected-moments-like-when-i-m-reading/) [Mary Engelbreit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-engelbreit/) > [When I come across writing that really moves me and inspires me, my reaction is twofold. I want to share it with others and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-engelbreit/when-i-come-across-writing-that-really-moves-me-and-inspires-me-my/) [Mary Engelbreit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-engelbreit/) > [Life is too short to not tell every one you know about Jesus. I need to practice this more.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-engelbreit/life-is-too-short-to-not-tell-every-one-you-know-about-jesus-i-need/) [Mary Engelbreit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-engelbreit/) > [Life is too short to be safe and sit still and do nothing. Unless of course that is what God has for you to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-engelbreit/life-is-too-short-to-be-safe-and-sit-still-and-do-nothing-unless-of/) [Mary Engelbreit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-engelbreit/) > [“Friend is a gift you give yourself.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-engelbreit/friend-is-a-gift-you-give-yourself/) [Mary Engelbreit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-engelbreit/) > [“We don't care how they do it in New York.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-engelbreit/we-don-t-care-how-they-do-it-in-new-york/) [Mary Engelbreit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-engelbreit/) > [There's no better friend than a sister.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-engelbreit/there-s-no-better-friend-than-a-sister/) [Mary Engelbreit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-engelbreit/) > [I am extremely thankful for my family. I am very thankful for what God is allowing me to do artistically. What a dream come…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-engelbreit/i-am-extremely-thankful-for-my-family-i-am-very-thankful-for-what-god/) [Mary Engelbreit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-engelbreit/) > [“Friendship needs no reason!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-engelbreit/friendship-needs-no-reason/) [Mary Engelbreit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-engelbreit/) > [When you go through a process of #1 praying daily and staying in God's word #2 obey Him in the small decisions every day…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-engelbreit/when-you-go-through-a-process-of-1-praying-daily-and-staying-in-god-s/) [Mary Engelbreit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-engelbreit/) > [Not what you do but how you do it, is the test of your capacity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-engelbreit/not-what-you-do-but-how-you-do-it-is-the-test-of-your-capacity/) [Mary Engelbreit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-engelbreit/) > [The world would be a vastly better place if people saw their need for God and accepted Him as Savior and Lord. And then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-engelbreit/the-world-would-be-a-vastly-better-place-if-people-saw-their-need-for/) [Mary Engelbreit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-engelbreit/) > [Anything good that we do is because of God. Whenever we get our eyes off of Him we crash and burn.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-engelbreit/anything-good-that-we-do-is-because-of-god-whenever-we-get-our-eyes/) [Mary Engelbreit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-engelbreit/) [Explore all 50 Mary Engelbreit quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-engelbreit/) ## More Can't change quotes > [Donʹt worry now about what you canʹt change. Rest when you can so youʹll be ready for tomorrowʹs battles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richelle-mead/don-t-worry-now-about-what-you-can-t-change-rest-when-you-can-so-you/) [Richelle Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richelle-mead/) > [You can't change your life. This mode in literature goes against the more middle-brown mode, which is about shaping your destiny, changing it. You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tommy-mccarthy/you-can-t-change-your-life-this-mode-in-literature-goes-against-the/) [Tommy McCarthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tommy-mccarthy/) > [You can't change a man, no-ways. By the time his mummy turns him loose and he takes up with some innocent woman and marries…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marjorie-kinnan-rawlings/you-can-t-change-a-man-no-ways-by-the-time-his-mummy-turns-him-loose/) [Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marjorie-kinnan-rawlings/) > [I don't worry about the things I can't change.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ferran-adria/i-don-t-worry-about-the-things-i-can-t-change/) [Ferran Adria](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ferran-adria/) > [Congress decides who becomes a citizen and how. To automatically say the 14th Amendment grants birthright citizenship, no, we can't change that. Amending the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/congress-decides-who-becomes-a-citizen-and-how-to-automatically-say/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [Though I can't change what happened, I can choose how to react. And I don't want to spend the rest of my life being…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tori-amos/though-i-can-t-change-what-happened-i-can-choose-how-to-react-and-i/) [Tori Amos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tori-amos/) > [When a poem is really finished, you can't change anything. You can't move words around. You can't say, 'In other words, you mean.' No,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-s-merwin/when-a-poem-is-really-finished-you-can-t-change-anything-you-can-t/) [W. S. Merwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-s-merwin/) > [The only thing one can usually change in one's situation is oneself. And yet one can't change that either-only ask Our Lord to do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/the-only-thing-one-can-usually-change-in-one-s-situation-is-oneself/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) > [I can't change my gender, and I refuse to stop making movies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathryn-bigelow/i-can-t-change-my-gender-and-i-refuse-to-stop-making-movies/) [Kathryn Bigelow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathryn-bigelow/) > [But I think it's more that when you're young, you're invincible, you're immortal - or at least you think you are. The possibilities are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/damien-hirst/but-i-think-it-s-more-that-when-you-re-young-you-re-invincible-you-re/) [Damien Hirst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/damien-hirst/) > [You can't change t he wor ld f rom t he rear view mir ror.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anita-roddick/you-can-t-change-t-he-wor-ld-f-rom-t-he-rear-view-mir-ror/) [Anita Roddick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anita-roddick/) > [You can't change your attitude because you're the champion. I've always kept my feet on the ground and never wanted to change.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/renan-barao/you-can-t-change-your-attitude-because-you-re-the-champion-i-ve/) [Renan Barao](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/renan-barao/) > [By the time you're 30, you know who you are inside. You learn to laugh at things you can't change; you learn to be yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kajol/by-the-time-you-re-30-you-know-who-you-are-inside-you-learn-to-laugh/) [Kajol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kajol/) > [Those that can't change even their toothbrush and pyjamas are trying to change the world! Let us be serious!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/those-that-can-t-change-even-their-toothbrush-and-pyjamas-are-trying/) [Mehmet Murat Ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [The message I'm sending to myself - I can't change the world until I change myself first.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kendrick-lamar/the-message-i-m-sending-to-myself-i-can-t-change-the-world-until-i/) [Kendrick Lamar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kendrick-lamar/) [Browse all 311 Can't change quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/can-t-change/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "If you can't change it.. change the way you think about it", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Mary Engelbreit" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-engelbreit/if-you-can-t-change-it-change-the-way-you-think-about-it/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Can't change" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-engelbreit/if-you-can-t-change-it-change-the-way-you-think-about-it/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6e9/mary-engelbreit-13552_can-t-change_if-you-can-t-change-it-change-the-way-yo_1150303.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6e9/mary-engelbreit-13552_can-t-change_if-you-can-t-change-it-change-the-way-yo_1150303.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6e9/mary-engelbreit-13552_can-t-change_if-you-can-t-change-it-change-the-way-yo_1150303.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“If you can't change it.. change the way you think about it” — Mary Engelbreit", "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": "Mary Engelbreit", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-engelbreit/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "If you can't change it.. change...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-engelbreit/if-you-can-t-change-it-change-the-way-you-think-about-it/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-engelbreit/if-you-can-t-change-it-change-the-way-you-think-about-it/#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 } } ] } ```