“How is this supposed to make me feel any better?”
Good question!
The short answer I offer is that it means you do what you can and let the rest play out as it will – much easier said than done, of course.
My advice: take some comfort in knowing there’s only so much you can do. It’s not an excuse, it’s about being reasonable.
Personally, I’m someone who really believes in accountability and taking responsibility. It makes sense to plan as much as you can, but here’s the kicker: life is unpredictable and will stomp on your hopes, dreams and good intentions every so often.
Every action has a reaction. What we do impacts the people around us, even if we’re not aware of how; the actions of others also affect us. Our job is to take as much control over what we do.
Some people think they control a lot. Some people actually do. Eventually, they’ll come to control very little. Knowing you can only control so much presents an opportunity to be conscious of the situations you find yourself, and think a little more strategically about the moves you make.
For example, if someone bumps into me and spills coffee on my clothes, now aware that I have a quick second to alter the outcome of this unfortunate interaction, I can choose to:
a) Be rude, cause a scene, and completely ruin mine + someone else’s day
b) Realize it’s not the end of the world, tell the other person not to worry, and figure out how I can clean myself up.
The path you choose makes all the difference in the world, especially in worse situations. Note: I’m making the assumption that your day-to-day, like mine, is calm for the most part. Obviously, when it hits the fan for real, it’s not as easy.
So, put your best foot forward today to make the rest of your week a good one. Make all your actions count for something.
Hakuna Matata!
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