A Reminder That Everything Isn't In Your Control

Separating what lies in our control and what doesn't is a key way of remaining calm in tense situations.

Differentiating what lies in our control and what doesn't is the most important practice in Stoic philosophy.

How Does This Help?

By focusing on what lies in your control and ignoring what doesn't, you're able to give your time and energy to the things that matter.

By accepting that you can't control certain things, you reduce the anxious moments in your life on a daily basis.

This is something that happens over time. The best we can do is remind ourselves:

We can control how we respond, even though we can't control what happens to us.

As Zeno said,

“Well-being is realized in small steps, but it is no small thing.”