“Everything can be taken from a man but one thing: the last of the human freedoms – to choose one’s attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one’s own way.”  – Viktor Frankl

Pain.  Guilt.  Death.  Frankl called them “The Tragic Triad”.  No human being can escape them.  Although we seem to continue to try and try, much to our own frustration.  We can also temper these negative circumstances of human existence with “Tragic Optimism”.  Regardless of our situation – in spite of our situation – we can choose how we face it.

When our marriage is struggling or faces ruin, we can choose to work harder, or choose to let go – in letting go, we can choose bitterness or we can choose serenity.  Regardless of the other person’s behavior, we choose how we react.

When confronted with illness or injury, we can choose to wallow in despair, or look to rise above the circumstances to discover new meaning.

When dealing with a difficult work situation, we can choose frustration and self-pity, or seek escape through substance use; or we can bring our best selves to a difficult job or look to discover new career opportunities in a different setting.

None of these are easy – then again, neither was surviving Hitler’s concentration camps for Frankl.  There are ways to make it easier – sometimes it’s as simple as choice, in other times in may take a little more.  We’re talking about these ideas over at The Meaning Project – if you have questions, or want to explore a little more, come join us.