Often we experience or see other people as the victim of their circumstances. Be it a prisoner or a successful businessman every one believes that they are what they are because of their circumstances, either good or bad. They will talk about the opportunities they were given, or the chances they were denied. They may be grateful for the education they were exposed to, or complain they were denied the education they deserve. One person will tell you about her wonderful childhood and upbringing was, while another will complain that she came from a dysfunctional family. There is no denying that income, status, education, upbringing, neighborhood, family and many other situations will influence, effect and even determine the outcome of our lives. But who creates the circumstances? Your parents? Your environment? God? Destiny? We cannot change what happened to us, but we can change our PERCEPTION about what happened to us. The effect of our thoughts ABOUT our circumstances. This is the key to changing our present circumstances and our future. Our minds are like a garden. We can intelligently cultivate our garden, or we can allow it to run wild. If you diligently attend to your garden, it will produce the things you cultivate. If you dont plant specific seeds, then the animals, wind and other elements will cause RANDOM things to grow which will likely to choke out the things you want to cultivate from your garden. One thing is certain, *SOMETHING* WILL GROW IN YOUR GARDEN! Just as a gardener must tend his or her garden, keeping out the weeds, you must tend the garden of your mind, weeding out the thoughts of lack, limitation and negativity. If you practice gardening of this kind, you will soon discover that you are the gardener of your soul. You will come to the profound revelation that you are not the victim of your circumstancesbut the creator of them. The reason is simple: Whatever you give your attention to and focus on shapes your character, creates your circumstances, and determines your ultimate destiny. What you experience in your life is directly connected to your inner state of mind. The most important thing you can learn about success, prosperity and happiness is that cause (thought) and effect (results or experiences) are one. But face this important fact - You dont simply end up in jail or the hospital, bankrupt, or alone no more than you simply wake up rich, successful, happy, and healthy. All these CIRCUMSTANCES are the RESULT of thousands of little decisions, which are reached as a result of the thoughts you give your attention to. Recently my friends husband committed suicide unable to bear the heavy debt he put himself in. in fact he was a very successful businessman and everything changed when he decided to invest huge amounts mostly borrowed in shares. He knew nothing about the share market but trusted his friends who allured him into making millions in a short time. in this incident he gave much thought to the millions than the actual details of how to make the millions. His choice was wrong though his intention was good. He was in a situation to choose his circumstance you might believe that it is true for other people, but you too have been the victim of numerous such circumstances which was beyond your control. how all this applies to you. First, you must accept that on one level or another, you have manifested everything that is happening in your life. Even the horrific, nasty stuff. I agree that you dont do it consciously. But you do it. You are surrounded by a database of information that promotes negativity, fear, anxiety, limitation, and lack. It pummels your senses from all directions. It comes from your TV, radio, the Internet, your friends, family, church and the people you work with. Most people are so saturated by negative programming that they cant even conceive a life of anything but struggle and complaint. What you read, what you listen to, and the people you talk with have a huge effec