Lesson 4: Any change in the particular beliefs that control my approach to life cannot help but modify and change my life. It will affect the quality and the texture of all I experience.
Before Bob left her, Amanda had a positive outlook in a seemingly healthy relationship, and getting married. Then when Bob cheated on her and left her on the altar, her bias quickly changed, changing her beliefs about men and causing her approach to men and marriage to become distorted. She became pessimistic and unhappy about her life.
Lesson 2: I see the world through "colored lenses." I am necessarily and unavoidably (to a greater or lesser degree) biased.
Amanda avoided men and hated going to weddings after she was cheated on and left on the altar. She formed an unhealthy bias towards all men and marriage from the actions of one man. She, like many people, lives in the past and bases her decisions on the outcome of one bad situation, without considering the whole picture or the effects her decisions would have on herself and everyone around her.
Lesson 1: I am necessarily and unavoidably making decisions all the time. These can and do affect me, others and my world. By these decisions, I am determining who I am and the person I am becoming.
When Bob cheated on Amanda and left her on the altar, she was forced to make a decision regarding men, marriage, and herself. She chose to form a negative attitude towards men, relationships and marriage. These decisions also caused her to fall into a slight depression because she looked for the bad things in everything, instead of the good things.
Lesson 3: The value judgments I make determine my actions. My mental health and happiness (and often those of many others) rests on the validity of these value judgments.
Because Bob cheated on Amanda and left her on the altar, she became depressed about men, marriage, and herself. Amanda’s depression rubbed off on her roommate when Amanda was unwilling to answer questions and seemed frustrated with everything. Her roommate noticed her depression and tried to help her by assembling a collecting of her favorite photographs to make her feel better about the world and herself.
Lesson 5: The most significant decisions I make in life will be faith decisions. Faith is an opinion based upon evidence to which I am committed.
Amanda decided to reevaluate her life when she realized that her negative outlook of men and marriage was not only bringing her down, but also her roommate and her work. She realized that she would never be able to have a healthy, successful relationship or future unless she changed imprudent views.
Lesson 4: Any change in the particular beliefs that control my approach to life cannot help but modify and change my life. It will affect the quality and the texture of all I experience.
Amanda’s roommate, boss, experience at the wedding and self-examination all led to her change of heart from a negative view of men and marriage to a positive one. She realized that it was a good thing that she did not get into a more serious relationship with Bob and was now able to move on in order to find a better relationship. She immediately felt more happy and optimistic about her life and future.
