You Can Only Control Yourself

I know that I have been preaching about the power that you have as a Twentysomething and its true. Here's the exception however: you can only control your actions. You cannot control the actions of others, though some of us try our damnedest to do so.

So what does that mean? Sorry to disappoint but your interactions with other people affect only you in the way that you allow. What I mean is that you can lament over someone and demand answers until you float away on an ocean of tears - that person will not be moved if that is not their intent. You can hate on old classmate for that nasty rumor she spread about you with an intensity that matches a California forest fire - your classmate doesn't know or doesn't care.

Stop letting someone else control your emotions!

The energy you spend trying to manipulate another person's actions is energy wasted. Wasted! If I hate you, you're probably going to be upset…for a minute. And that's if you kinda like me and I spit fire a hot enough. Meanwhile, my blood pressure has gone up and I'm heated for a good couple of minutes after our confrontation. After that, every time I see you or you are mentioned in conversation, I react the same way. So then, one day I am so tired of seeing you go on about your life as if my hatred means nothing to you, that I'm plotting and scheming to make your life hell. No matter whatever it is that I plot, I've spent way more time and energy on you than you have have ever have on me.

So who looks stupid?

I know there are things in life or people in life that just gets under your skin. For that one moment, you want to hit something hard. It's human nature. The difference between those who go on about their business and those who get caught up is their reaction. Those who handle their business shake it off and walk away. They have so much on their plates that they cannot be bothered. People who get caught up do just that: they get caught up in a net that only entangles them.

We're in our twenties and just beginning our lives. There is so much to be done and so much to see and…so little time to do it. Energy spent on trying to change someone else is energy wasted and energy wasted is opportunity lost. So the next time someone pisses you off, irritates you or breaks your heart, take it on the chin and keep on marching. There is no reason for you to allow someone else to break you stride or slow you down. You've got to keep on moving.