August 2020: Control the Controllable
Whoa, there are A LOT of things outside our control right now. We have mandated masks in most states, it’s uncertain whether schools will open, and who knows about sports, community events, weddings, vacations, etcetera?
This pandemic has disrupted every common situation in each of our lives, and it has given the spotlight to all kinds of other horrors.
It’s all just over-the-top and out-of-control.
When we can’t make our own decisions about certain things, it starts to feel like we can’t make decisions about anything.
Which is a silly belief if you really think about it.
Oh, I’ve heard all the giant leaps from masks to vaccines, from mandates to martial law, and every interpretation of what quarantining means.
But what’s the truth?
The truth is, where I’m sitting, I can still work, albeit a little differently and a little less lucratively; I can still engage with my family, although maybe more distantly; I can still purchase all the things I want or need, although I might have to wait a little longer for them.
Honestly, there are A LOT of things within our control right now.
It really just takes a conscious mental shift to get there.
It’s going to take some intentional practice.
So, I’ve dedicated the month of August to Controlling the Controllable.
I hate being told what to do. The minute someone says, “You can fish all over the lake, but you can’t fish here,” I see that all the fish are in the No Fishing Zone and I want like hell to fish in that one spot…
…Even though there’s a huge lake where fishing is allowed and even encouraged (and of course, there are plenty of fish)!
“God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.” –Reinhold Niebuhr
Serenity, courage, and wisdom are states of being that look pretty damn good right about now.
Let’s just think about serenity: calm, composure, peace of mind, tranquility. Wow, that sounds amazing. That sounds like something we haven’t had in quite some time. I could say, we haven’t had serenity since March, but the truth is more that serenity is hard to reach even when there isn’t a global pandemic and social unrest.
According to this ideal, serenity comes from accepting the things we cannot change. Try making THAT list! Pro-tip: It’s a long one.
Yet we toil and worry and have anxiety over it by the minute.
Now let’s talk about courage. Nobody has ever demonstrated courage without being afraid. We must have fear in order for courage to even exist. What are you afraid of that IS within your control?
Are you afraid of isolation and lack of interaction with friends and family? Is there a way of creating socially distanced activities and opportunities to get together? Can you build new traditions that solve these problems?
Are you afraid of you or a family member contracting the virus? Is there a way of boosting your immunity and healthful behaviors, and reducing your risk of exposure? Can you adopt new protocols and practices to prevent infection?
Are you afraid of your business going under? Is there any way of pivoting your product or service to be accessible during these distancing times? Can you solve a new problem that this crisis has revealed?
Granted, it’s all imperfect. It requires some new thought patterns.
But most of all, it requires DROPPING SOME OLD EXPECTATIONS AND BELIEFS, mainly that if one thing is taken away from you, all things are taken away.
That simply is not true.
Go ahead and be afraid, for it is only amidst fear that you can access courage.
Wisdom seems such an ancient, distant quality, as if you must live a hundred years before attaining it.
Yet wisdom is simply knowledge of what is true and right, combined with just judgment and action.
When thinking about our own lives, situations, and worries, we must set aside the fear-based noise from outside sources and forces, and ask ourselves, “Is this true? Is this a reliable and unbiased source? Are there historical instances of this happening? Can this be disproven?”
While we can find anecdotal evidence of nearly every statement under the sun, such as being abducted by aliens, or mindreading, or what-have-you, asking yourself those questions will eliminate a lot of stories.
This is a crucial point in the history of the world.
Not only is the pandemic disrupting life as we knew it, but the massive idleness of so many people who are just waiting for things to go back to the way they were, has given way for enormous agitation, cowardice, and ignorance.
Those are the opposite of serenity, courage, and wisdom.
This is a crucial point in the legacy that you leave about how you handle disruption and adversity. How are you doing with it? What have your own thoughts, beliefs, and actions said about you and how you show up?
If you’d like to join me for a month of controlling the controllable, of seeking serenity, courage, and wisdom, join me in my free Life is Calling group, a community of positive thinkers and action takers, click HERE.
