Attitude Changes Everything

Life is all about what we make of it. Literally, each day is a chance to do something wonderful, or not. Much depends on our attitude and how we choose to see the world. Our circumstances may not be ideal, and we can’t alter how we came into the world. But once we’re mature enough to know better, we can control our thoughts and how we choose to react to things. It’s at this point we see that much of our life is now more about what we ourselves make of it.

We all know someone who “broke away” and made a success of him or herself. The ones who didn’t follow the crowd and did things their own way. We have seen them as the rebellious ones, or even the eccentric oddball of the group. But there was something about them. At the time we didn’t get it. But now everyone wants to be like them. Think about Steve Jobs, or Bill Gates, whose innovations changed how we live and work. Or the multitudes of other leaders of the world whose otherness became a tool in the construction of their own destinies.

These are essential role models for us to follow and emulate. When we wonder how we can be different and affect change, we can look to them for inspiration. We don’t need to copy them. No, we can be individual in our approach to what we can do. We can look at their qualities to see what we may need to change or implement in ourselves. Where did their drive and determination come from? How did they develop resilience? What did they do when faced with negativity and the inevitable obstacles encountered?

Yes, life is indeed what we make of it. And the funny thing is, life is so willing to teach us how to do it right if we are just willing to learn a thing or two.

That’s what’s so exciting about STEAM education, which has the potential to change the world. Here are some examples of how STEAM education is being used right now to make a difference:

-        Developing new technologies to address climate change

-        Creating new engineering solutions to improve infrastructure

-        Using the arts to promote social change

-        Applying mathematics to solve complex problems

Since STEAM is an interdisciplinary approach, it can bring together each element to complement another. And that is where growth happens, and changes occur. As with life, so with STEAM education, much depends on our attitude and how we choose to see it.

Where do you see yourself in relation to STEAM? Do you look like that rebellious genius, or are you more like the eccentric one? I was none of the above. Still, I find the areas of STEAM related education curious and exciting.

No matter where you stand, you can make a difference. It is only a matter of choosing how you will.