OR IS THE ENVIRONMENT AN EFFECT OF OUR OWN THINKING?

The effects of the environment on a person are often conceptually processed by noticing the physical or emotional variances between people who exist in different environments. Take for example:

-A person who is in a stressful environment commonly has bags under their eyes and a face full of acne.
-According to research, a child who is raised in a hostile environment is more likely to be an abusive adult.
-Those that live in a relaxed environment are oftentimes calm mannered and are able to think clearly

With that being said, it can be argued that we are not products of the environment, rather the environment is an effect of our own thoughts. This point is best stated by a brilliant man by the name of Charles F. Haanel when he said

“Mind is creative, and conditions, environment and all experiences in life are the result of our habitual or predominant mental attitude.”

To help understand this we can refer to our first example of a person who is living in a stressful environment. Based on that scenario, we ask the following questions.

First: What is it that makes the environment stressful?
Perhaps the person has a stressful job, or money is tight, or they simply feel overwhelmed as thought there is not enough time to finish what needs to be done in a day.

Second: What circumstances lead to the stressful situation?
It could be that the person changed jobs, or spent beyond their means, or took on too many tasks.

Third: What are the thoughts that lead the person to make the decisions which lead to the circumstance?
Maybe the person left their old job because they felt inadequate, or they spent more money because they wanted more stuff to prove to be of a certain status, or maybe they took on too many tasks because they felt as though they were not living up to the expectations of their loved ones or peers.

On the other hand, there are those who are born into an environment which they otherwise would not have chosen. Although it would be understandably difficult to overcome such misfortune, it is still possible to do. Through positive thinking and perseverance a positive occurrences naturally follow. Consider another statement of Charles F. Haanel, “The attitude of mind necessarily depends upon what we think. Therefore, the secret of all power, all achievement and all possession depends upon our method of thinking. This is true because we must “be” before we can “do,” and we can “do” only to the extent which we “are,” and what we “are” depends upon what we “think.””

True, some people may be a product of the environment, that is if they believe the environment is in control, but if a person believes that their thoughts control their decisions, which control the way they act upon and within the environment, then through positive thinking and self control, they may create circumstances that may lead to a desirable environment.