--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We cannot alter facts, but we can alter…" description: "\"We cannot alter facts, but we can alter our ways of looking at them.\" — Phyllis Bottome" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bf0/phyllis-bottome-8036_facts_we-cannot-alter-facts-but-we-can-alter-o_2350992.jpg" --- # We cannot alter facts, but we can alter our ways of… ![“We cannot alter facts, but we can alter our ways of looking at them.” quote by Phyllis Bottome](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bf0/phyllis-bottome-8036_facts_we-cannot-alter-facts-but-we-can-alter-o_2350992.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bf0/phyllis-bottome-8036_facts_we-cannot-alter-facts-but-we-can-alter-o_2350992.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bf0/phyllis-bottome-8036_facts_we-cannot-alter-facts-but-we-can-alter-o_2350992.jpg) > “We cannot alter facts, but we can alter our ways of looking at them.” [Phyllis Bottome](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phyllis-bottome/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. We cannot change facts, but we can change our perspective to influence understanding. **In simple terms:** Perspective changes meaning. Key Takeaway Shift viewpoint to gain insight. Themes perception interpretation mindset adaptability Mood thoughtful encouraging Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - conflict resolution - education - leadership - personal growth Key Concepts cognitive psychology philosophy communication Questions to Reflect On - How does perspective shape reality? - What habits help reframe thoughts? A Different Perspective Changing facts is impossible. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Facts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/facts/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) ## Related quotes > [“Fourth Doctor: You know, the very powerful and the very stupid have one thing in common: they don't alter their views to fit the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-boucher/fourth-doctor-you-know-the-very-powerful-and-the-very-stupid-have-one/) Chris Boucher > [I shall never alter my ways, not even if I have to die many times.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/i-shall-never-alter-my-ways-not-even-if-i-have-to-die-many-times/) [Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/) > [Death cannot alter facts - only feelings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-noyes-hart/death-cannot-alter-facts-only-feelings/) [Frances Noyes Hart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-noyes-hart/) > [Though sympathy alone can't alter facts, it can help to make them more bearable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bram-stoker/though-sympathy-alone-can-t-alter-facts-it-can-help-to-make-them-more/) [Bram Stoker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bram-stoker/) > [“This story is not all mine, nor told by me alone. Indeed, I am not sure whose story it is; you can judge better.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ursula-k-le-guin/this-story-is-not-all-mine-nor-told-by-me-alone-indeed-i-am-not-sure/) [Ursula K. Le Guin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ursula-k-le-guin/) > [“Feelings could override facts, as facts could alter feelings. Choose the truth first, rather than following after feelings.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-liccione/feelings-could-override-facts-as-facts-could-alter-feelings-choose/) [Anthony Liccione](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-liccione/) > [...If at moments the facts seem to alter with an altered voice, why then you can choose the fact you like best; yet none…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-at-moments-the-facts-seem-to-alter-with-an-altered-voice-why-then/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [There were two ways of looking at the world, but only one when you are starving.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/there-were-two-ways-of-looking-at-the-world-but-only-one-when-you-are/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [“13 Ways of Looking at a Black Girl”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/morgan-parker/13-ways-of-looking-at-a-black-girl/) [Morgan Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/morgan-parker/) > [I'm always loading my brain with new ways of looking at something.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-robbins/i-m-always-loading-my-brain-with-new-ways-of-looking-at-something/) [Tony Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-robbins/) > [Looking after children is one of the ways of looking after yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mcewan/looking-after-children-is-one-of-the-ways-of-looking-after-yourself/) [Ian Mcewan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-mcewan/) > [It's the dualistic ways of looking at things that produces the evil.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-m-pirsig/it-s-the-dualistic-ways-of-looking-at-things-that-produces-the-evil/) [Robert M. Pirsig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-m-pirsig/) > [“There's always two ways of looking at things... that seeing what's positive about a situation is a lot more fun and gets you a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-j-machale/there-s-always-two-ways-of-looking-at-things-that-seeing-what-s/) [D.J. MacHale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-j-machale/) > [Many oriental cultures make a distinction between two ways of looking - 'hard eyes' and 'soft eyes'. When we look with hard eyes, we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-paul-caponigro/many-oriental-cultures-make-a-distinction-between-two-ways-of-looking/) [John Paul Caponigro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-paul-caponigro/) > [I'm tired of looking for the perfect guy. From now on.. he can look for me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-m-tired-of-looking-for-the-perfect-guy-from-now-on-he-can-look-for/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by Phyllis Bottome > [Jane had that happy disposition which would like to imagine that every one really wishes the well-being of his neighbour and struggles, though sometimes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phyllis-bottome/jane-had-that-happy-disposition-which-would-like-to-imagine-that/) [Phyllis Bottome](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phyllis-bottome/) > [Neither situations nor people can be altered by the interference of an outsider. If they are to be altered, that alteration must come from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phyllis-bottome/neither-situations-nor-people-can-be-altered-by-the-interference-of/) [Phyllis Bottome](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phyllis-bottome/) > [Every hen thinks she has laid the best egg! Can we not all believe as we choose? But the choice of others - what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phyllis-bottome/every-hen-thinks-she-has-laid-the-best-egg-can-we-not-all-believe-as/) [Phyllis Bottome](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phyllis-bottome/) > [If money had been the way to save the world, Christ himself would have been rich.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phyllis-bottome/if-money-had-been-the-way-to-save-the-world-christ-himself-would-have/) [Phyllis Bottome](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phyllis-bottome/) > [When you know a person particularly well, you cannot escape their ruffled feelings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phyllis-bottome/when-you-know-a-person-particularly-well-you-cannot-escape-their/) [Phyllis Bottome](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phyllis-bottome/) > [Poets, when they write of love, give themselves and everyone else away!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phyllis-bottome/poets-when-they-write-of-love-give-themselves-and-everyone-else-away/) [Phyllis Bottome](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phyllis-bottome/) > [death ... is not a great affair! Think - it happens once only - to each of us - as birth does. What do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phyllis-bottome/death-is-not-a-great-affair-think-it-happens-once-only-to-each-of-us/) [Phyllis Bottome](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phyllis-bottome/) > [Taboos on the human heart are more dangerous than any risk we run by using our emotions. Sensation is the life of man; it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phyllis-bottome/taboos-on-the-human-heart-are-more-dangerous-than-any-risk-we-run-by/) [Phyllis Bottome](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phyllis-bottome/) > [... one pets what one degrades; and one has to support what one has enfeebled](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phyllis-bottome/one-pets-what-one-degrades-and-one-has-to-support-what-one-has/) [Phyllis Bottome](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phyllis-bottome/) > [Truth is no man's slave - but lies - what magnificent servants they make.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phyllis-bottome/truth-is-no-man-s-slave-but-lies-what-magnificent-servants-they-make/) [Phyllis Bottome](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phyllis-bottome/) > [Marriage! ... Why, it is like living in a thimble with a hippopotamus!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phyllis-bottome/marriage-why-it-is-like-living-in-a-thimble-with-a-hippopotamus/) [Phyllis Bottome](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phyllis-bottome/) > [Anger is like mild, it should not be kept too long.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phyllis-bottome/anger-is-like-mild-it-should-not-be-kept-too-long/) [Phyllis Bottome](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phyllis-bottome/) > [People who talk of new lives believe there will be no new troubles.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phyllis-bottome/people-who-talk-of-new-lives-believe-there-will-be-no-new-troubles/) [Phyllis Bottome](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phyllis-bottome/) > [All persecution is a sign of fear; for if we did not fear the power of an opinion different from our own, we should…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phyllis-bottome/all-persecution-is-a-sign-of-fear-for-if-we-did-not-fear-the-power-of/) [Phyllis Bottome](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phyllis-bottome/) > [Love comes into your being like a tidal wave ... sometimes it withdraws like a wave, till there isn't such a thing as a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phyllis-bottome/love-comes-into-your-being-like-a-tidal-wave-sometimes-it-withdraws/) [Phyllis Bottome](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phyllis-bottome/) [Explore all 85 Phyllis Bottome quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phyllis-bottome/) ## More Facts quotes > [It is indeed a surprising and fortunate fact that nature can be expressed by relatively low-order mathematical functions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudolf-carnap/it-is-indeed-a-surprising-and-fortunate-fact-that-nature-can-be/) [Rudolf Carnap](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudolf-carnap/) > [So the fool, as distinct from the scoundrel, is completely self- satisfied; in fact, he can easily become dangerous, as it does not take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dietrich-bonhoeffer/so-the-fool-as-distinct-from-the-scoundrel-is-completely-self/) [Dietrich Bonhoeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dietrich-bonhoeffer/) > [He bombarded me with words, of all things, apparently clueless to the fact that the predawn hours rendered me incapable of coherent thought.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darynda-jones/he-bombarded-me-with-words-of-all-things-apparently-clueless-to-the/) [Darynda Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darynda-jones/) > [Scrabble - The game is available in Braille. That’s a nice fact. This makes me feel better about humanity for some reason. I can’t…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/scrabble-the-game-is-available-in-braille-that-s-a-nice-fact-this/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I'm Fine!, the most common LIE in the world...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/punkinhead-abhishek/i-m-fine-the-most-common-lie-in-the-world/) [Punkinhead Abhishek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/punkinhead-abhishek/) > [The time that one gains cannot be accumulated in a storehouse; it is contradictory to want to save up existence, which, the fact is,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simone-de-beauvoir/the-time-that-one-gains-cannot-be-accumulated-in-a-storehouse-it-is/) [Simone de Beauvoir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simone-de-beauvoir/) > [What is history after all? History is facts which become lies in the end.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-cocteau/what-is-history-after-all-history-is-facts-which-become-lies-in-the/) [Jean Cocteau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-cocteau/) > [Don't take too much comfort in the fact that you're successful today because tomorrow could bring failure. There's no surety in life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-savage/don-t-take-too-much-comfort-in-the-fact-that-you-re-successful-today/) [Michael Savage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-savage/) > [I am told many children block out the memory of trauma. In fact, the healing process can only truly begin when we are willing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phoebe-stone/i-am-told-many-children-block-out-the-memory-of-trauma-in-fact-the/) [Phoebe Stone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phoebe-stone/) > [Because the truth is that gossip is as good as gospel in this town. You can save face but you won't ever save your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/conor-oberst/because-the-truth-is-that-gossip-is-as-good-as-gospel-in-this-town/) [Conor Oberst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/conor-oberst/) > [Truth be told from compulsive liars with a history/Everything must change 2nd chances are a mystery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-dash/truth-be-told-from-compulsive-liars-with-a-history-everything-must/) C-DASH > [We did an episode where she goes out to get a job and she gets fired because she's not good. They hire a babysitter…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-heaton/we-did-an-episode-where-she-goes-out-to-get-a-job-and-she-gets-fired/) [Patricia Heaton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-heaton/) > [Le biologiste passe, la grenouille reste. The biologist passes, the frog remains.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-rostand/le-biologiste-passe-la-grenouille-reste-the-biologist-passes-the-frog/) [Jean Rostand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-rostand/) > [I guess he'll have to figure out someday that he is supposed to have this dark side, that it is part of what it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-lamott/i-guess-he-ll-have-to-figure-out-someday-that-he-is-supposed-to-have/) [Anne Lamott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-lamott/) > [The fact -- not theory -- that evolution has occurred and the Darwinian theory as to how it occurred have become so confused in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-gaylord-simpson/the-fact-not-theory-that-evolution-has-occurred-and-the-darwinian/) [George Gaylord Simpson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-gaylord-simpson/) [Browse all 19,906 Facts quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/facts/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "We cannot alter facts, but we can alter our ways of looking at them.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Phyllis Bottome" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phyllis-bottome/we-cannot-alter-facts-but-we-can-alter-our-ways-of-looking-at-them/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Facts" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phyllis-bottome/we-cannot-alter-facts-but-we-can-alter-our-ways-of-looking-at-them/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bf0/phyllis-bottome-8036_facts_we-cannot-alter-facts-but-we-can-alter-o_2350992.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bf0/phyllis-bottome-8036_facts_we-cannot-alter-facts-but-we-can-alter-o_2350992.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bf0/phyllis-bottome-8036_facts_we-cannot-alter-facts-but-we-can-alter-o_2350992.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“We cannot alter facts, but we can alter our ways of looking at them.” — Phyllis Bottome", "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": "Phyllis Bottome", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phyllis-bottome/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "We cannot alter facts, but we...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phyllis-bottome/we-cannot-alter-facts-but-we-can-alter-our-ways-of-looking-at-them/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phyllis-bottome/we-cannot-alter-facts-but-we-can-alter-our-ways-of-looking-at-them/#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 } } ] } ```