Life is filled with circumstances beyond our control. But while we can’t always prevent what happens to us, we do have power over how we respond to those events, including the especially challenging or difficult ones. Maya Angelou spoke at length about this sort of empowerment and inner strength. Her work often dealt with finding the power to rise above tragedy and distress, stepping into our personal agency, and choosing not to be diminished or defined by the hardships we face. Remaining conscious of our own attitude and outlook in the face of whatever comes our way is somewhat of a personal superpower: It allows us to stand strong, maintain our dignity and self-worth, and deny external forces the ability to limit our potential.