I’m not going to lie. This week has been filled with irritation, which has stemmed from the usage of public transportation, relying on someone for the means of getting somewhere, doing something. These past few days have been filled with waiting and hoping (that is that things will be on time and that I won’t miss the next bus or train). In all of this, it’s hard not to dwell or wallow in self pity.

It’s hard to let go of things that are out of our control. We want to feel like we have full reign on our lives. We want to be able to dictate where we are, when we are and how we are. I can only speak for myself in saying that relying on something other than myself or dealing with being out of control is hard for me. It’s hard because I never know the outcome. One day might be good, while others, not so much. You get this feeling in your gut that you just want to do something, control something, anything. If you are out of control, it makes you feel unable, worthless, incapable and the list of synonyms goes on and on. Control is something that we want at all times of the day.

However, it is impossible. It will never happen. There will always be those things in which you can not control. It could be running into traffic or missing your train. It could be getting sick or hurt. These things happen. Life happens. However, we are not dictated by what happens to us but how we respond.

Through this situation, I began to get in a state of worry and annoyance and frustration because it just wasn’t working out, but I started to write. I began to talk to God. I began to just breathe. That is what you have to do. You have to find a way to calm yourself down, push out negative feelings and get on with your life. If I can try, so can you.

Let me know a situation where things were out of your control in the comments. We can all learn from each other.

-Jas