I was on the phone with my mom one morning and we were talking about life, as we usually do.
I can’t remember the exact topic, but I seemed to impress her when I told her I thought the biggest mistake for anyone to make was to try to control their lives.
I said, “you can dye your hair all you want, but you don’t decide when the gray shows up, and the roots will always grow back”.
Wanting to control everything is not only useless, it’s harmful and it leads to complete unhappiness and dissatisfaction.
Do any of these statements sound familiar:
“I get so angry when things aren’t going my way, the way I planned, or the way I expected”.
“If it’s not perfect, I’m not happy”.
“I am stressed out trying to make everything the way I want it to be. If I don’t do it, it won’t be done right“?
Angry, stressed, unhappy…and in turn, sick!
Trying to control everything is irrational, and trying to control others is really unattainable, yet it seems to be a pattern we all fall under at one time or another.
Letting go is a process that requires a great deal of balance and autonomy. Letting go does not mean we accept things as they come and we settle, it means we accept things as they come and we find a way to move on and not just do our best but be our best.
The way I let go every day is to identify behavior that is controlling and make a choice to let go of that which is not up to me.
I know you’ve heard the serenity prayer, which has been adopted by Alcoholics Anonymous and other twelve-step programs.
We can use it in our daily lives for anything we need to let go of:
GOD GRANT ME :
THE SERENITY TO ACCEPT THE THINGS I CAN NOT CHANGE,
Letting go means we stop controlling, step back and relax when it is not up to us to change something or someone.
Oh, how we wish our family, friends, and children would listen to us and CHANGE so they would be happy/successful/healthy … we all do it.
THE COURAGE TO CHANGE THE THINGS I CAN
It certainly takes courage to change what we do, the way we do it, and even more to change the way we think.
Letting go is not about staying where you are, being laid back, and settling for less than you deserve. We have divinity inside of us and we have unlimited potential.
Each of us has our own different unique gifts. Find your divine gifts and move forward. It takes courage, but it is so rewarding!
AND WISDOM TO KNOW THE DIFFERENCE.
When do we let go and when do we take action? This is where GUIDANCE comes into play. Some people have been there, done that, and bought a collectible spoon (my favorites).
You can reach inside you and start tuning into a still small voice that will direct you towards the right path.
This path is best traveled when we have guides who know the way. For some of us may be our mom, our best friend, our mentor, or even our children.
Today, I will accept something the way it is, change something I can change, and let God do the rest through all the amazing guides He has put in my path.
Will you join me?
Elayna is a single mom of 4, award-winning Storyteller, Story Strategist, and Student of Pain. She’s a bestselling author, internationally acclaimed keynote speaker, and 4x TEDx speaker. Founder of the Positive MOM® and creator of the S.T.O.R.Y. System: a blueprint to craft and share powerful stories that will transform your results, so you can have the wealth, opportunities, and freedom you deserve. Connect with Elayna Fernández at thepositivemom.com/keynote-speaker and follow @thepositivemom. To receive a gift from Elayna, click HERE.
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