The Power of Perspective: How One Thought Changed My Life

• By candidasullivan
• March 7, 2025
• No Comments

It’s not what happens to us that causes so much pain, but rather the meaning we attach to what happens to us. 

The first time I heard that our circumstances are neutral, I was intrigued. It made me question the truth of the statement, so I paid attention to how people handle the same situations. If two people with similar experiences could think about it differently, then I knew it was possible.

An excellent example of this is how three different people could view a house fire. The homeowners might be devastated at their loss. A firefighter might be exhausted from trying to extinguish it. While an arsonist might be delighted with watching it all burn away. 

The situation is the same, but the thoughts and feelings are different. 

When we understand this, we have the power to create our lives. While we don’t get to decide what happens to us, we can choose how we want to think and feel about things. 

Usually, we have a dominant thought, which we think about constantly. If we can uncover that thought, we can work on it and change it. I know it seems so simple, but this is what I did to change my life. 

My thought: This shouldn’t have happened to me. I should have hands and feet like everyone else. 

Feeling: Ashamed to be different. Sad because my body has scars, and others make fun of me.

Actions: Try to hide my scars. Cry about it. Become depressed and suicidal.

When I took this thought to God and asked Him to help me, He changed how I thought and felt about my scars with one shift. God showed me that I could have died. Amniotic Band Syndrome results in lots of miscarriages each year. But He blessed me to live. I survived the attack. 

New thought: Most babies die when the amniotic bands attack, but I didn’t. God blessed me to live. He has a purpose for my scars. 

Feeling: I am thankful to be alive to love and be loved. I’m so grateful for my life. I’m so thankful for the opportunity to use my scars to help others. 

Action: Write books about my scars and use my pain to help others overcome their pain. 

Do you see how powerful it can be to change weak, disempowering thoughts into strong, powerful ones? When I did this,,I transformed from someone who was depressed into someone who feels incredibly blessed. 

Our life is composed of our thoughts. Therefore, when I feel like a victim of my circumstances, I realize I just need to change my thoughts. 

Do you know someone who would benefit from learning this? I would love the opportunity to teach it to your school or group. Please email me at candidasullivan@yahoo, and let’s work something out.