Inside-out or outside-in?

In any life situation there are 2 components: Ourselves and the environment we find ourselves in. And in terms of influence, there are also 2 options: Either we can change the environment or the environment can change us.

What should decide which direction this influence moves, inside-out or outside-in? Our lives should be guided by moral principles, so it makes sense that if the entity with the moral high-ground should be given the power of influence. So if we are conversing with our friends, and we find that our friends have the moral high-ground, we should listen to them. This is a challenge in itself because often our ego doesn't want to acknowledge when we are wrong.

In the case that you have conviction in your strong moral standing in comparison to your environment, you should absolutely not allow the environment to influence you, rather you should transform the environment to meet your own ethical standard, which should remain unchanging.

Heavenly fortune can move through a person that is humble enough to recognize when he is wrong yet has conviction  and strength to influence the environment when he genuinely feels he is right.

A park in Georgia - 9/27/2011