Freedom to choose one's attitude in any given set of circumstances from "summary" of Man's Search for Meaning, Gift Edition by Viktor E. Frankl
In the midst of the horrors of the concentration camp, I discovered that everything can be taken from a person but one thing: the last of the human freedoms - to choose one's attitude in any given set of circumstances. This freedom, this power to choose one's own way, is the ultimate human capacity, the defining characteristic that sets us apart as individuals. It is the one thing that can never be stripped away from us, no matter how dire the situation may be. In the face of unspeakable suffering and brutality, I realized that I had the power to choose how I would respond. I could choose to despair, to give up, to lose hope. Or I could choose to find meaning in my suffering, to hold onto my sense of dignity and worth. I could choose to see my circumstances as an opportunity for growth, for spiritual development, for the deepening of my own humanity. This choice, this freedom to shape our own attitudes, is what ultimately determines our fate. It is what all...Similar Posts
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