"We can always choose to perceive things differently. You can focus on what's wrong in your life, or you can focus on what's right"
About this Quote
Marianne Williamson invites a deliberate act of perception. Life does not come to us pre-labeled; our attention assigns the labels. The mind can scan for cracks or for light, and that scanning pattern shapes mood, choices, and relationships. Her broader work, influenced by A Course in Miracles, treats perception as creative power: a miracle is the shift from fear to love. Choosing where to look becomes a spiritual practice as well as a practical strategy.
Psychology gives her intuition empirical weight. Humans have a strong negativity bias; threats and losses grab attention more than safety and gains. Left unchecked, this bias narrows our view, breeds anxiety, and saps initiative. Reframing and gratitude practices counterbalance that tilt, training attention to register what is working. The point is not denial. Focusing on what is right does not require pretending problems do not exist. It means building from existing strengths and resources so that problems can be approached with clarity rather than despair.
There is agency here even when circumstances are not within our control. A tough job, a frayed relationship, a diagnosis: none may change overnight. Yet perception can pivot toward the allies, skills, small wins, and meaningful values already present. That pivot often loosens fear and creates space for creative action. It also interrupts the self-fulfilling loop where dwelling on what is wrong generates more of the same.
Williamson writes from a tradition that blends activism with inner work. Choosing to notice what is right is not passive; it fuels courage and generosity. People who feel resourced are more likely to repair, to advocate, to persevere. The practice is modest and daily: where is my attention landing? What am I amplifying with my focus? Over time, that choice is not a gloss over reality but a way of constructing a reality more aligned with love, resilience, and purposeful action.
Psychology gives her intuition empirical weight. Humans have a strong negativity bias; threats and losses grab attention more than safety and gains. Left unchecked, this bias narrows our view, breeds anxiety, and saps initiative. Reframing and gratitude practices counterbalance that tilt, training attention to register what is working. The point is not denial. Focusing on what is right does not require pretending problems do not exist. It means building from existing strengths and resources so that problems can be approached with clarity rather than despair.
There is agency here even when circumstances are not within our control. A tough job, a frayed relationship, a diagnosis: none may change overnight. Yet perception can pivot toward the allies, skills, small wins, and meaningful values already present. That pivot often loosens fear and creates space for creative action. It also interrupts the self-fulfilling loop where dwelling on what is wrong generates more of the same.
Williamson writes from a tradition that blends activism with inner work. Choosing to notice what is right is not passive; it fuels courage and generosity. People who feel resourced are more likely to repair, to advocate, to persevere. The practice is modest and daily: where is my attention landing? What am I amplifying with my focus? Over time, that choice is not a gloss over reality but a way of constructing a reality more aligned with love, resilience, and purposeful action.
Quote Details
| Topic | Optimism |
|---|---|
| Source | A Return to Love: Reflections on the Principles of A Course in Miracles (Marianne Williamson, 1992) — passage widely attributed to Williamson in this book. |
More Quotes by Marianne
Add to List
