Understanding what you can and cannot control is vital for maintaining mental health and well-being.

Here’s a breakdown to help differentiate between the two…

What You Can Control…

• Your Actions – How you behave in any situation.
• Your Reactions – How you respond emotionally and intellectually to what happens around you.
• Your Thoughts – While initial thoughts may be automatic, you have some control over what you continue to focus on and how you interpret things.
• Your Choices – Decisions you make about your life, work, relationships, etc.
• Your Boundaries – What you are willing to accept from others and the limits you set.
• Your Effort – The amount of work you put into your goals, relationships, and personal growth.
• Your Attitude – Your general outlook on life and the perspective you choose to adopt.

What You Cannot Control…

• Other People’s Actions – How others behave is up to them, not you.
• Other People’s Feelings – You can influence but cannot dictate how others feel.
• Life Events – Many occurrences in life, like natural disasters, economic changes, or the actions of others, are beyond your control.
• The Past – What has already happened is unchangeable.
• The Future – While you can influence your future through your actions and decisions, you cannot control it completely.
• Other People’s Thoughts – You can’t control what others think about you or anything else.
• Aging and Time – The passage of time and the natural aging process are inevitable and uncontrollable.

Focusing on what you can control, such as your actions, reactions, and attitudes, can lead to a more empowered and fulfilling life. Conversely, spending too much energy on things you cannot control can lead to feelings of frustration and helplessness. It’s often helpful to practice mindfulness and acceptance for the aspects of life that are beyond your control.