How To Accept That You Can’t Control Everything

In the uncertainty of life, the bitter truth that can be very challenging to accept is that you have zero control over some things that happen to you, from little annoyances to big tragedies. This hesitance to accept the reality often generates anxiety and stress, both of which can become detrimental to our health, for even with the things that we can control, there is no guarantee that nothing bad will happen.

Remember, acceptance does not equal agreement. For example, from not liking someone’s personality to being unhappy with the weather or traffic, acceptance simply means that you acknowledge that these things are beyond your control, therefore you come to terms with it but do not necessarily agree with them. The only thing that we can control is how we react in such circumstances.

Here are few ways to accept not being in control:

1. Determine What You Can Control

The unpredictability of life is often accompanied with the feeling of being overwhelmed as it becomes easier to give up and dwell on what is beyond your control than to manage your emotions and focus your energy on things that you can control.

2. Recognize Your Fears

Fear is created from our own imagination, as we often assume the worst-case scenario will occur and doubt our ability to cope with an unpleasant outcome. Fear prevents us from visualizing any further than the thought “this is going to be tragic,” whereby we become so consumed by this one idea that we fail to ask ourselves, “If a tragic outcome was to come true, how would I deal with it?”

Hence you must train your mind to accept that many things are and will always be beyond our control and overcoming them is what will empower us. Acknowledging that you have ability to handle any worst-case scenario will allow you to divert your energy into being more productive so that you are seeking solutions to solve your problems instead of dwelling on the unfortunate outcomes.

3. Create A Gratitude Jar

Our minds are oceans of thoughts ranging from self-doubt and fear to confidence and commitment.

Accepting that you cannot be in control of everything begins with being in control of yourself and learning to be optimistic. I believe creating a jar of positive affirmations and healthy thoughts can often refresh our perspective and get us back on track by allowing us to train our brains to have a different approach and to always remember that we are stronger than we give ourselves credit for.

4. Talk to Someone

If you are experiencing something that you are not sure how to handle, then reach out to someone for part of our strength lies in our ability to be open and to know when and whom to seek help from, because in situations like this it is not sympathy that you need, rather you require practical advice and a fresh perspective to the entire scenario. Remember, putting on a strong face for the world because you feel it will boost your self-respect by facing everything alone, only to be struggling on the inside, will never be helpful. Instead, it will only worsen things over time.

The process of learning how to cope with things that are out of our control comes with practicing to accept that the only thing within our control is our reactions and behavior.