Q: What is wrong with trying to control the circumstances of our lives? A: It’s important to distinguish between those circumstances that are set or fixed and those that are not. There is a broad range of events and circumstances that we cannot...
Q: Romantic relationships can be stressful, especially when we try to “improve” or change our partner’s behavior and habits. How can accepting our loved one for who they are enhance our love bond? A: I don’t think any of us like being...
Q: How can letting go of control allay some of the fear and anxiety associated with the current economic uncertainty brought about by Covid-19? A: The feeling of being powerless over our finances (and job prospects) can be extremely...
Q: Is it difficult to let go of control? Where does one begin? A: Letting go of control can be extremely difficult because we have been raised with control; it is taught to us and all around us. Our parents, bosses, teachers, and...
Q: What does a person gain when they relinquish control? A: They gain greater vision and clarity—and ultimately greater serenity. Relinquishing control (or, as I sometimes say, losing control) frees life’s “natural currents” and allows us to...
Q: How can we reduce our fears so that we will control less? (Part 2) A: Letting Go of Control Truths and Tips Q&A #2 emphasized the importance of identifying our fears as the first step in reducing or removing them. Once you have a clearer...
The need to reign in our unhealthy compulsion to control is thus more important than ever, whether we are a so-called “control freak,” a micro-manager, a nitpicker, or simply someone who controls excessively. Toward that end, I will be sharing...
As a prequel to the pages of Losing Control, Finding Serenity: How the Need to Control Hurts Us and How to Let It Go, I cited the following insightful words of Ralph Waldo Emerson from his essay, “Spiritual Laws,” published in 1841: “There is a...
The holiday season is a time of great stress and anxiety for most people. We are forced to plod through heavy traffic, wade through crowded stores with too few sales clerks, incur unwanted financial burdens, and attend family gatherings fraught...
How often do you find yourself wondering, “where has all the time gone today—or this week?” I wonder about that fairly often and my guess is that most people do as well—and it’s an issue that constantly frustrates control freaks. There is...
Many of us have trust issues and are control freaks. Have you ever thought about the connection or dynamic between control and trust? Or more specifically, about how trust impacts our ability to let go of control? To be truthful, I hadn’t given...
Many people sincerely wish to stop trying to control their important relationships and practice acceptance, but find it very difficult to do so. They realize that it would be better for others, as well as themselves. It may be a mother who knows...
