The feeling of being out of control is paralyzing to many people. It’s tough to truly understand that you cannot control everything. The truth is that there are many things that will happen whether you accept them or try to control them. We have seven things you cannot control in life.
1. Weather
It’s entertaining to see people blame the weatherman for the rain. There is simply nothing you can do about a snowstorm or a sunny day. If you don’t laugh while jumping in the puddles of a random rainy day, you’ll get bogged down in your lack of control. There are days you’ll wake up when you wanted to have a picnic, yet the wind is too wild. There are days you want to swim, yet the pouring rain forces you inside. Make the most of these days by understanding there is nothing you can do and changing plans.
2. Change
The most constant thing in life is change. The world never stops spinning. Sometimes you want to fast forward the times of changes. Other times you want to freeze the times of change. No matter what, the sun is going to rise and set that day. Change is scary at times. Change is exciting at other times. The only thing you can do is hold on tightly through each time of change. Ride the waves.
3. People’s minds
Not everyone is going to like you or share your opinion. It’s hard to understand that you cannot change the thoughts of other people. No matter how hard you try, some people aren’t going to see anything through your eyes. You can do all in your power to get them to see life your way, but it isn’t always going to work. Accept people for who they are.
4. The future
There is only so much you can do about tomorrow. You can set out your lunch, plan your day, and iron your clothing. You don’t have any control over what happens during that planned day. You don’t have any control over the things that are thrown at you that day. Your five-year plan may totally unravel inf front of you. While it’s scary, you don’t have control over tomorrow or five years from now. You can plan things as much as you want, but there will be curveballs thrown into your future.
5. Someone else’s happiness
It’s a nice thought to believe you have so much control over everyone else that you can determine if they’re happy. The truth is that you cannot fix their thoughts. You can do your best to shower them with love, but you cannot control them. It’s up to them to determine their own emotions. Focus on the positive parts of yourself instead of trying to change everyone else. You can always be there to help them see the positive things in life.
6. Traffic
You can only control the way you drive on the road. The other person is behind their own wheel. Sometimes traffic is simply out of your control. You’ll scream as you wait in the long lines. There is nothing you can do. A traffic jam gives you the chance to slow down a little bit. You can scream and cry, or you can just sit back and relax.
7. The past
There is no such thing as a time machine. Pain in the past is gone. You have to learn to move forward. The past is often hurtful, but you have to make something of it. You must choose to let go of the tough times. You can only control your next step forward.
Changing the world is exhausting. Realize that you can only change the way you feel about things. You cannot physically control every little thing in the world. It’s a harsh reality, but it will save your life. Learn to let go and realize the things you can control in your life.
