Ever noticed we are never really quiet inside our own minds? Try it out. When we sit in a corner, away from others for a break, we keep on thinking. We can't stop ourselves from thinking. As long as the body feeds us sensory data from the environment, we respond to the environment.

In prehistoric times, man relied on his instincts to survive. Scientists have called this the fight-flight response in which a person instantly chooses to fight and overcome his adversary or run away to survive.

The body, perceiving a threat, increases and opens up its stores and energizes the necessary cells to prepare for a fight or a run. The body becomes more alert, the muscles get all the blood they need, sugar and fat are burned quickly.

In modern times, the fight-flight response is still useful in a minimal capacity for situations against robbers, muggers, or prize fighting. Soldiers and people on the violent path still need this even more.

For the average civilian, the only violence encountered is usually verbal or on television. However, what most people don't realize is the violence and pain they inflict upon themselves inside their own heads.

As social animals, human beings are expected to interact with others of their species to have a good life. In cities and town constructed by humans, this is unavoidable and people cope in different ways to eke a living out of these artificial jungles.

However, sometimes fight-flight responses take over and spill over into areas of interaction that do not require an extreme response. This may be due to undisciplined use of negative reinforcement techniques in childhood, a traumatic experience, genetics, the environment, etc.

In the average American, this spills over into everyday life. For example, being the butt of jokes by peers, trying to ask a girl out for a date, or getting chewed out by the boss. These are situations that, to most people, are times of extreme stress.

The only way to overcome these extremely stressful situation is to train yourself to see it another way. A "Can Do" attitude reflects this outlook.

To make the most of life, people have to accept living to the fullest. Having a "can do" attitude shows that life to you is:

– A journey. Don't worry about the destination, enjoy the process. People are expected to make mistakes. If it does happen, why make a big deal? Accept the mistake, learn the lesson and move on. Be thankful that you had the opportunity to learn something new. If the lesson is not learned, life comes back to teach it again and again until you get it.

– Not to be taken too seriously. Life taken too seriously only makes the uptight person more stressed. Laugh, have fun. Accept that nothing is perfect. It is perfectly normal to see that you can eat ice cream with French fries. That white people can fall in love with blacks. Life comes in all shapes and sizes.

– Not about survival, but about living well. Life is hard enough without letting art and beauty into the individual life. The "can do" person knows why he is here because he had taken the time to know his purpose.

Whether that purpose is to teach college football, or to be president of a Third World nation, the "can do" person does it with two feet on the ground and his eyes fixed on the future.

– Half full, not half empty. People have learned from society a kind of sickness. That for people to survive, it is better to see things in a pessimistic way. The point is entirely missed. Life depends on how you see it. A "can do" attitude is quite the optimistic realist.

An optimistic realist knows that a lot of things can go wrong because the world is like that, but that does not stop the person from trying out opportunities to take him to better places and better opportunities. Fear is not allowed to dictate action, only warn. Logic is not used to find reason not to do it, but is used to achieve the optimist's objectives.

– Is not alone. "Can do" people know that people are more than willing to help them. This is because the world reacts to sincerity in a way that a person reacts to a child. There is no trickery involved. A "can do" person is an agent of change, not hesitating in helping others along the way. Others are also on their way to become better.

Help yourself by helping others. Develop trust and friendship, but never be surprised at the ambiguity when you encounter it. Accept it as part of the process.

A "Can do" attitude can definitely take you places you never dreamed