What We Control

Many problems result when we attempt to control that which is outside of our control.

• Emotional Competency-What You Can Change and What You Cannot
• “Control, Power & Influence: Six Basic Ideas to Consider” is the title of an article by C.S. Clarke, Ph.D.
• Part of the Serenity Prayer is about recognizing the difference.

Which of these things do you think is within your control?

• Thoughts
• Where we were born
• Actions
• Race
• Values
• Age
• Education
• Intelligence
• Feelings
• Birth family
• Wellness
• Health
• Ourselves
• Physical attributes
• Others
• Weather
• Traffic

There are three things we control-our own:

• thoughts
• feelings
• actions

In Rational Emotive Therapy, Albert Ellis shows how our feelings come from the thoughts we think. Learn how to understand emotions with REBT.

Although we do not control others that does not mean that we are powerless.

Through what we say and do we may choose to:

• Share information
• Express our opinion
• Ask for what we want
• Pray
• Influence
• Persuade
• Set limits
• Recognize what is and is not love

Base your intentions on love. Adversity happens. It doesn’t build character, it reveals it. This doesn’t mean we can’t set goals and work towards them. It does mean that we have to accept that there will be unexpected obstacles in life that can affect our outcomes. The alternative is to drift aimlessly without making any attempt to shape your life.

This is one of the weekly activities for a Year of Personal Development.

About dailyplanit

I seek to create order from the chaos of complex information. Join me at the Daily PlanIt to gain insights, inspiration, and information to increase skills for a better life. I unlock the power of teaching reading with phonics in the pursuit of literacy at www.phonicspow.com. In my spare time I explore books and movies, often choosing titles available on both screen and page.