Please read the disclaimer . Things outside myself cause my emotions. I cannot change how I feel without changing my circumstances. Your emotions are caused by the things that happen around you, but only indirectly. The way you interpret the world ultimately determines how you feel.
Psychologists refer to the interpretive process as appraisal.
You may believe that how you see the world is not in your control, but every situation yields many different possible interpretations. Your interpretation of an event depends on your attitude. It depends on what you want out of the situation. Most importantly, it depends on how you want to interpret the event. You may tend to focus on the negative and anticipate the worst, because you believe it serves a purpose, perhaps to prepare you or protect you.