You Aren’t in Control of Your Life
Thank goodness
“If you want real control, drop the illusion of control; let life have you. It does anyway. You’re just telling yourself the story of how it doesn’t.” — Byron Katie
I’m not going to lie to you. I really hated that quote. I hated it because on the one hand, it made me feel powerless. On the other hand, it’s correct and it makes my years of thrashing against the tides of life seem stupid.
My higher self would be looking on and laughing to himself and thinking, “He puts himself face-down in water and then convinces himself someone is drowning him.” The water was probably there for buoyancy of some sort but I feel my feet get wet and I assume I’m about to be a victim of life.
It’s as author Adam Hansen wrote, “We are the descendants of the savants of risk aversion.” It’s no wonder we assume the worst and then try to take matters into our own hands. Not only have we seen news about people being victims of natural disasters and abuse, we too were traumatized growing up. What’s more is that we were too young to put it into proper context.
We then grow up still thinking that life is unsafe and volatile, so we invest in our Armageddon bunkers and stock up on Twinkies and canned peaches in the form of tons of money and/or romance. With these, nothing can hurt us. It’s impossible.
And yet, it is in trying to get these things that we feel the most pain and suffering. Hilariously, we continue down this path because we simply cannot afford to not get the things that we think will keep us safe. And we won’t stop until we’re too tired and we surrender to the elements.
That’s when something unexpected happens. Everything begins to work.
We were told by people who were successful, who had what we wanted that we need to work hard. We took them at their word. They were figures of authority and proof. Sadly, that entrepreneur that came to your high school assembly that one time didn’t have enough time to explain that this is not true for every aspect of life.
She couldn’t tell you that some things actually already work and are working. She also…
