This is the 3rdlesson in the “Weathering a Storm” series. We explore the issue of “control”. It is very common for people to spend a good deal of their time either trying to control things that they cannot or being upset or angry because they cannot control someone, something, or some situation. If we are brutally honest with ourselves, this is not very smart and does not actually help us in our life.
By becoming fixated on that which we cannot control, we end up losing control of our life, by coming under the control of anger, disappointment, and mental disturbance. It is empowering to instead, make conscious choices to act on things I actually have control of, things like:
- My priorities in life
- What you eat, drink, or inhale
- What you talk about
- What you think about
- How you react to things (other people’s words and actions)
- How much effort you put into things (relationships, family, friends, social obligations)
- When and how you show gratitude
- How kind you are
- Who you hang out with
- Your words
- How open-minded you are
- How seriously you take life
- Whether you show empathy for the suffering of others
- Your willingness to help others