Best Advice: Being in Control

This one comes from my dad. I remember him saying this often throughout my childhood (and teenagerhood. and the tiny bit of adulthood that I've had), probably because I had (have?) this nasty little habit of flying off the wall when somebody said or did something that didn't please me very much. I've been told that I give really good reactions when teased or goaded, which is why people enjoy teasing and goading me so much. So, whenever I would freak out about the rude actions of somebody I knew or an unfair assignment for school, my dad would tell me this:

You can't control other people's actions; you can only control your reaction to those actions. 

Now, this isn't something that a control freak like myself likes to hear. I would definitely prefer to be in control of everything and everyone all the time. But, surprisingly enough, that's just not an option.  So, I guess the next best thing is to always be in control of the way you conduct yourself. I may not be able to control the way other people treat me, but I can decide how I will react to said treatment. I can work myself into a hysterical rage or I can be the bigger person and brush off their negativity. Now, let's be real: more often than not, I choose option A, but it's something that I'm trying to improve upon. I find that when I do choose to have a positive reaction to negative situations, it is easier to move on and be more cheerful.

Somebody once asked me why I don't drink, do drugs, or smoke. My answer was partially inspired by the lessons on being in control I learned from my dad. I can't control the world around me. I can't control what people do or what they say. I can't control the weather or the homework I'm assigned. Life is full of so many things that are simply out of my control. The one and only thing that I can control is me. I can control what I say and what I do and how I act and react.

So I will.