Control Your Controllables
So much of our life is outside of our control – the people we run into, our genetics, the weather, the family we were born into and more.
Yet many of those uncontrollable things are what cause so much stress, frustration and anxiety in life. When we focus too much on the “uncontrollable” things in life – the things completely outside of our control, like the weather, how other people act, or drive, and random external obstacles we end up feeling helpless and more and more like a victim. It can be a vicious downward cycle.
That’s why it’s so critical to ‘control your controllables’. For all the things outside of your control, there are plenty that are within your control to help you live happier, healthier lives.
By focusing on the things you can change you shift the power back into your hands, give yourself the best chance to succeed. You are no longer a victim and are creating a positive, upward cycle.
And here is one thing I think is important to make note of. There are some things in life that are endless.
There is no sense in getting frustrated when they aren’t.
For example; exercise. Exercise is endless. Parenting is another example. It’s endless. Eating for weight maintenance, endless. House maintenance, endless. Personal hygiene, endless. The fact of the matter is that most of the important things in life cannot be “finished” and unless you are a scientist looking for a cure for exercise, the fact that you have to keep showing up for your workouts is outside of your control.
If you want to stay healthy and age well, you have to take care of your body and that means staying active and exercising.
I have this conversation with most of our new members that only sign on for 3 months to ‘try us out’. I of course understand why they don’t want to commit for a year when they haven’t tried us out yet but I always encourage them to sign on with the mindset that this will become a lifestyle.
I explain that all the things that give you a healthy body and mind are endless. Running a body, isn’t like running a business. You can’t work really hard, get it to a level that it can start to run without you. A healthy body and mind needs constant input, constant care…from you. Your body doesn’t care if it’s cold out or not, it still needs exercise and sunshine and healthy thinking.
I want to make sure that no one reading this approaches an endless game with a finite mindset. The objective is not to be done, but to settle into a daily lifestyle you can sustain and that allows you to make daily progress on the areas that matter.
The key is to control your controllables and embrace the fact that life is continual and look for ways to enjoy the daily practice.
