“You must take personal responsibility. You cannot change the circumstances, the seasons, or the wind, but you can change yourself. That is something you have charge of. You don’t have charge of the constellations, but you do have charge of whether you read, develop new skills, and take new classes.”
– Jim Rohn

My happiness is directly proportional to how much I accept what is out of my control and how much I command what is in my control. The key is recognizing as early as possible which state something is in and acting accordingly. At times, I make up stories about things that are in my control and deceive myself into thinking that they are not. Other times, I wrongfully think I can control something that I would be better served to simply accept and work with.

One technique I find effective in helping me determine what is and is not worth me controlling is to ask myself a simple question. If this thing that I want to change does not change, can I still achieve my goal? If I can, then I should start focusing on accepting that obstacle as it is and finding some other solution to get to my ultimate goal.

What are some examples in your life where you have realized you were getting upset about things you cannot control? What are some examples from your own life where you have taken responsibility for results rather than being a victim to uncontrollable circumstances.