Did you know that every week, I share a video version of WISER?
I’ve come to learn that many of you prefer to enjoy WISER in video format - my parents included!
Consider watching me talk you through today’s principle of wisdom here:
You can't always control what happens to you.
But you can control how you respond.
Your time is better spent focusing on the latter.
Let’s check out today’s Illustration:
Life doesn't always go according to plan.
People let you down.
An illness throws you off course.
You experience grief.
You can't choose every situation that comes your way.
But you can choose your next step.
While you may not control every chapter of your story, you can still decide what kind of character you will be in it.
Let’s check out today’s Saying:
"Between stimulus and response there is a space. In that space is our power to choose our response. In our response lies our growth and our freedom."
Victor’s words ring true here:
Will you be a prisoner to your circumstances, or will your response lead you to freedom?
I’m currently in a season of stress.
I’m moving house, navigating career uncertainty and parenthood is an endless rollercoaster.
One of the most freeing lessons I've been learning is that peace doesn't come from controlling everything around us. Instead it comes from recognising what is and is not within our control.
When something difficult happens, we often spend our energy wishing reality were different.
But that changes nothing.
Instead, let’s look at 3 ways to respond wisely when life doesn't go to plan:
Stop Trying to Control What You Can’t
We often make our own problems by trying to control the things that we can’t.
Recognising that, take a moment to think about whether there’s something that you ought to stop trying to control.
Life becomes much lighter when you stop fighting reality.
Pause Before Reacting
Your first reaction isn't always your wisest one.
Giving yourself space often leads to better decisions than acting on emotion alone.
Look for Your Next Faithful Step
You don't need to solve the whole problem today.
Often, wisdom is simply taking the next right step with what you have.
Let’s dive deeper into today’s wisdom with these 3 journal prompts:
What situation am I currently trying to control that is actually outside of my control?
How have I been reacting to a recent setback?
What is one response I can choose today that my future self will thank me for?
Today’s resource is Viktor E. Frankl’s book: Man's Search for Meaning.
Frankl's experiences surviving Nazi concentration camps led him to one of the most profound insights about the human condition: while we cannot always choose our circumstances, we retain the freedom to choose our response.
It's a deeply moving book about resilience, meaning and the power of human choice.
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Catch you in the next issue!
Thanks,
Michael