What You Can Control

Dear Me,

You are not in charge of everything. It may feel like you are. It may seem like if you work hard enough, you can manipulate everything to work out the way you want. But you can’t. There are things within your control and things that will always be outside of it. Focus on the actions you can control.

You can’t control the rain. You can’t move forward or find the next right step if you spend time yelling at the rain or wishing it away. Accept that it’s raining so you can say something like, “Looks like I need my umbrella today.”

ACTION: The next time you face a situation outside your control, pause and assess. If there’s no meaningful action you can take, resist the urge to act out of frustration. Instead, use a tool like deep breathing, journaling, or get in touch with someone who can help you stay grounded until you find an action that is truly within your control.

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