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There's a lot of stuff you might worry about or have on your mind, and sometimes it becomes so much that you even lose track of the important things, even emergencies, it's just way too much
This may not be the first time you're reading about circles of control. Basically, none of the things outside your circle, like your past mistakes, how others perceive you, potential issues that could happen tomorrow, somebody's decision to make you an enemy become you're doing well in life and they're not so they're just jealous and want you going down at all cost, are something you can affect directly. And yet we expend so much energy worrying about all of the things that we can't change.
Screenshot attributed to Wisdom Stoics on X
The inside circle is what you can control. You can control how you speak, how you act, how you treat the doctor and the person who literally just cut you off on the way into work today, A.K.A. that most annoying person you have ever met. Also most importantly, how you're talking to yourself when no one else can hear you, that to me is the most important thing, what you think about you.
I use to mess this up all the time but with experience comes wisdom to know what's right. Although it's not a magic wand trick, I still fall for the temptations. I catch myself focusing on something that's entirely out of my reach. I pull back and ask myself, "is this really something that I can fix?" Usually, the answer is no.
When I do start focusing on the things that I can control, I save myself from so many problem. I can put my umbrella over my head when it rains. I can't say "rain get the hell away from me" but I can raise that umbrella and make sure I don't spoil my heels walking in the water. How about that?
Now, when I notice any kind of mental stress in my mind because of an issue, I do a check on myself. Am I wasting my time on this? If yes, I'll stop. If no, then I'll do anything whether big or small that I can do to affect the outcome.
This doesn't solve everything. But it's been a lot more helpful than I thought it would be.