“If you don’t like something, change it. If you can’t change it, change your attitude.” Maya Angelou
LiveMint’s quote of the day is a simple yet profound statement, which encapsulates the essence of Maya Angelou’s philosophy and serves as a guiding light for navigating life’s inevitable challenges.
The quote speaks to the indomitable human spirit that can transcend external limitations by choosing how to perceive and react to them.
For Angelou, who endured profound trauma and systemic prejudice, cultivating an internal fortress of self-worth and positive outlook was not just a choice but a strategy for survival and thriving.
What does the quote mean?
Maya Angelou’s quote is a two-pronged call to action — offering a powerful framework for personal agency and inner peace.
The first part of the quote, “If you don’t like something, change it,” is an imperative for active engagement with life. It rejects passivity and victimhood, urging individuals to identify dissatisfaction and then take concrete steps toward improvement.
It resonates deeply with Angelou’s own life, marked by continuous self-reinvention and an active role in fighting injustice. Whether it was pursuing diverse careers from streetcar conductor to performer, or courageously speaking out against racism and discrimination, Angelou consistently demonstrated the power of initiating change rather than merely enduring discomfort.
The second part, “If you can’t change it, change your attitude,” offers a crucial complement. It acknowledges that not all circumstances are within our direct control. Racism, historical trauma, and personal loss – these are realities that often cannot be altered by individual will.
In such instances, Angelou advises a shift in perspective, a reorientation of one’s internal landscape. “This isn’t about resignation, but about finding strength, peace, and even joy amid adversity.”
Together, these two clauses form a holistic approach to life: empowering us to be agents of change where possible, and masters of our internal world where external change is impossible.
It’s a blueprint for resilience, adaptability, and emotional intelligence that remains profoundly relevant across all facets of human experience.
Who is Maya Angelou?
Maya Angelou’s life, born Marguerite Ann Johnson, 1928-2014, was a tapestry woven with extraordinary experiences, immense challenges, and monumental achievements.
Her early life was marked by trauma, including a period of selective mutism following abuse, which she powerfully chronicled in her seminal autobiography, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings (1969).
This breaking groundbreaking memoir not only brought her international acclaim but also broke barriers by openly discussing themes of racism, trauma, and identity through a Black woman’s perspective, influencing generations of writers and readers.
Angelou’s career path was astonishingly diverse. Before becoming a celebrated author, she was a streetcar conductor, a calypso singer and dancer, an actress, and a journalist in Egypt and Ghana during the decolonisation era.
This relentless pursuit of new experiences and mastery of various arts underlined her belief in continuous growth and the rejection of limitations.
Throughout her life, Angelou received numerous accolades, including the Presidential Medal of Freedom, for her contributions to literature, civil rights, and American culture.
She served as a professor of American Studies at Wake Forest University for decades, inspiring countless students with her wisdom and grace.
