Final draft. - revised

While researching inspirational quotes on the internet for a paper I was writing during my Freshman year of High School, I came across a quote from a Motivational Speaker named Brian Tracy. The quote was "You cannot control what happens to you, but you can control your attitude toward what happens to you, and in that, you will be mastering change rather than allowing it to master you.". To this day, Brian Tracy's words stand as the most important lesson I've ever learned. I had never seen such a valuable, relevant, life changing group of words. They are words that I now live by and recite when feeling stressed or discontent during any given situation. 

My family was going through some very hard times throughout my elementary and middle school years. My mother and sisters had all gone through some very heavy things in their lives that they had no control over. I mean, I always knew that life was going to be tough at times, but my family made those times seem absolutely unbearable. I was living with grievous-alcoholic mother. Along with one sister, who was a struggling teenage mother - and another sister, who was in a mentally abusive relationship. They had become lifeless. They had lost all control over their lives because they simply were too blind to realize that they could so easily take it back. I always remember questioning their actions. Why did they deny happiness? Why couldn't they accept change and make the best of their situations? Was I going to turn out like that? What wave of heartbreak is going to crash down on me one day and who will I become then? Though the one question I always returned to was "Isn't there more to life than this? And if so, why can't they see that?". As a result of being surrounded by such an unstable bunch of people, my outlook on life had become a bit tainted. It seemed as though the more heartbreak I witnessed, the more I begun to fear life.

What I consider the most important lesson I've ever learned to this day would not have even been considered by my mother and sisters during their time of heartache. They were only seeing what they wanted to see - which just so happened to be the gloomy and upsetting side to everything life had to offer. They refused to see anything outside of the sorrow they let themselves feel about their lives - each saw no light at the end of the tunnel. Due to my mother and sisters being my only active influences in life, I developed the idea that those struggles that my family members were experiencing were a perfect example of how life really is. It had made sense to me that life only gets worse as it goes on. But golly, was I wrong. If my mother and sisters had wanted to see the brighter side of things, they could have. Although they did not have any control over what has happened to them, they each had complete control of their attitude toward their situations, and they chose to stay blind to the light.

 Eventually, after some time, my mother and sisters all found the truth and the good in their situations. They each found understanding in the fact that it's up to them how they choose to live life. That if they wanted to live a happy, joyful life, they could. Simply by remembering that although they can't control what obstacles they may face in life, they can control their attitude toward those obstacle. Although those times were definitely hard situations for all of us to get through, I wouldn't a single thing about them. In fact, I'm glad that they happened. No, I'm definitely not in favor of seeing my family in pain. But I wouldn't understand the true error of their pessimistic ways if those times never existed. I wouldn't have such a strong heart, nor would I have an open-minded outlook on life. More importantly, my mother or sisters would not be be the strong independent, wonderful women that they all are today without the bad times. They build each of our characters and made us all more of who we were meant to be in life.

Learning that although you really can't control what happens to you in life, but that you can overcome those things with the right attitude and an open mind was the answer to my prayers I didn't even know I was sending. Because of my experience with my mother and sisters, coming across Brian Tracy's words online became the most educational experience of my life. Those words changed everything about the way I see truly every situation I face in life. A simple quote helped shape who I am today in a very major way. I've sunken his words so far deep into my mind and heart that they have become a prominent piece of who I am. I wake up every morning excited about life. Excited to see what the day has in store for me - because I know that I control my destiny. I control my attitude, and I will never let a bad situation control me, but help shape me - molding me into a stronger person. I feel that without ever coming across Brian Tracy's words, I would still be in a very dark place in my life. An anxiety filled, depressing place. I am so grateful to have stumbled upon such a life-changing set of words.

Beginning with my families struggles, and ending with discovering some of the most important words I've ever read was the most important experience in my life. Brian Tracy's words, "You cannot control what happens to you, but you can control your attitude toward what happens to you, and in that, you will be mastering change rather than allowing it to master you." are such unbelievably important and relevant in everyone's life in one way or another. Because of them, my eyes have become wide open, and I can see every beautiful color there is! Because of my experience, seeing people with sadness in their hearts does not petrify me or make me feel bitter towards life. In fact, it encourages me to show them the light that I see. That's what I feel is my calling in life to some extent - to always help people see the brighter side of things and let them know that they have a friend in me. I long to help show people that they themselves truly do control their own destiny - that everything truly is what you make it be. Life is a wonderful experience - I plan to help people enjoy it as much as I do.