Control in My Life

I’m discovering that I pretty much know who I am.  I know what I value, what my morals are, what kind of company I keep.  Definitely not a perfect person, but that’s what growth is all about.  What I’m still in the process of doing is figuring out “how” I want to live.  For example, let fear dictate my life, or let my actions dictate my life?  What is really in my control right now?  I can’t control others or their feelings or their problems.  But I can manage how I live with them.  I can’t control my son (I’d give a million dollars to be able to!), but I can manage how to care for him and what actions I should take in his life.  Right now, I feel as though I’m a ship in a storm and I’m battening down whatever hatches I can, fastening the loose sails.  I can’t influence the storm, but I can manage how the storm influences me!   Things I can control: ·         health (exercise, diet, water intake, vitamins)·         thoughts (including emotions, though they can be triggered—but why?·         how I dress (currently limited by wardrobe, but what I pick is my choice)·         how I spend my time (at work, home, and free time)·         how I spend my money (what I spend it on, when I spend it, how much)·         how I treat other people (family, friends, co-workers, etc.)·         the words that come out of my mouth  Conversely, I can’t control these things in other people.  Influence to an extent, perhaps, but not control.