5 Brutally Simple Things You Are Not Controlling (But Should Be)
You are wasting your time attempting to control the uncontrollable
The secret to peace of mind? Let go of what you can’t control and take charge of what you can.
Much easier said than done, I know.
But if you can pull it off, your whole life will change - less stress, more progress.
And that is exactly why it is worth dedicating time to gaining control over the 5 key things I will discuss today.
Let’s dive in!
1. Sleep
Let’s make this as simple as possible… You cannot function without proper sleep.
We’ve all met those people who think they slept well because they feel okay on 4 hours, or those who can fall asleep after drinking a coffee (not realizing their quality of sleep diminishes).
But regardless of who you are, as long as you are human, you need 7-8 or more hours of sleep.
And guess what! This is in your control.
To maximize your sleep, do the following things (according to Matthew “The Sleep Diplomat” Walker, not me)
Avoid caffeine 8-12 hours before sleep
Maintain a consistent sleep schedule
Reduce light exposure before bed
Get morning sunlight exposure
Limit alcohol consumption
Have a pre-sleep routine
“I give myself a non-negotiable eight-hour sleep opportunity every night.” - Matthew Walker
2. Health
It’s absolutely insane that people choose to be unhealthy when, if they chose differently, they could potentially extend their health-life by decades.
Eating properly
Sleeping longer
Quitting smoking
Working out regularly
Consuming less alcohol
Simply drinking enough water
These are all things that are in your control, yet most people will not do.
Do you want to feel better?
Do you want to have better sex?
Do you want to make better decisions?
Do you want to live a long, healthy life instead of spending the last 10 years of your life in pain?
Great!
Control your health!
3. Time and energy
You’re quick to complain that you have no time or energy, but refuse to take control of either.
You could stop watching 4 hours of Netflix a night and doom-scrolling on TikTok, but you don’t. As a result, you are less productive, have worse health and feel as if you have no time.
Surprise, surprise.
You could be eating and sleeping properly to increase your energy levels, but you aren’t.
You could say no to doing things you don’t want to do, so you have time for the things you do want to do… BUT YOU DON’T.
Take control of your time if you want a happy life. Simple as that.
4. Finances
Times are tough. Inflation is crazy. Our cost of living has skyrocketed.
It sucks.
There is little we can do as individuals to control the economy, but we can control what we do with the money we do make.
Cancel unnecessary subscriptions
Invest what you can and maybe a little more
Eat in more, eat out less (something I gotta learn)
Stop wasting your money on clothes, alcohol and OnlyFans girls
Go through your statements to see what random fees you’re paying
Feeling as if you have control over your finances will help you not go crazy in times like these.
Once you have control, it’ll often motivate you to work harder, too!
5. Behaviour, reactions and mindset
Picture this: Your boss is yelling at you once again for absolutely no reason. You’re doing a great job, but he is blaming you for his mistakes.
Shitty, right?
You could either cry about it or you can not let his terrible attitude destroy your peace of mind. (You should probably go job hunting, too.)
How you react to whatever unexpected horribleness comes your way in a day is up to you.
You control your happiness. You control your mindset.
The same is with your behaviour.
Someone cuts you off in traffic. Are you going to yell and throw a water bottle at them (like I once did), or are you going to turn on some jazz and vibe out instead (like I also once did)?
You can control your behaviour.
Pick the path that will make you happiest and most at peace. For your own sake and not the ass hole in the Chevy.
Closing thoughts
The moral of the story is you need to stop trying to control the things you can’t control, such as the driving of the guy in the Chevy, and start controlling the things you can.
Most people waste too much time trying to control everything, even after it has already happened.
Move on and focus on these 5 things.
Thanks for reading