We create the psychological climate around us. This is not to suggest that we are responsible for anyone else’s actions, thoughts or emotions. However, our own actions, thoughts and emotions tend to bring into our lives certain kinds of people and events. If you’re negative and gloomy, you’ll tend to attract people who are also this way. You can’t say, “Everyone around me is so gloomy! Why does this happen to me?” without recognizing your own role in attracting such people. If you’re hostile and inconsiderate, then you’ll tend to attract people who are humble and timid. You can’t say, “I’m surrounded by wimps–and I hate it!” without recognizing that your own behavior and attitudes contribute to the type of people you attract. And so on. The good thing about accepting that YOU create much of what goes on around you is the implied fact that you can also change what’s around you, at any time. No, you cannot change other people, although if you change yourself many of them will change in response to you. But you can always change the way you think, act and feel if your current approach is not serving you well. You can change almost anything you want to change about your life at any time–so long as you don’t give in to an irrational fear of change.