Savoring What You Can Control

Source: No author listed, pxfuel, Public Domain

Amid the pandemic and its economic fallout, it’s easy to feel out of control. And our happiness is affected by how much control we have.

Fortunately, we have more control than we may realize. The following examples reveal that and, in turn, could help you attain a bit more happiness, even in these trying times.

Your routines. We can polish our daily rituals from morning through bedtime. I know someone who always enjoys streamlining her get-dressed-and-out-of-the-house routine. Is there a routine you’d like to further polish or at least appreciate that you’re in control of it?

Your work. While your assigned tasks and even your job’s permanence may not be in your control, the way you do tasks largely is: when to start, how to do it, to what level of perfection. And of course, even in these times, some people exert control over their work by quitting an unacceptable job or, if self-employed, turning away unacceptable clients or customers. Is there some aspect of your work about which you want to exert more control or to feel grateful for the control you have?

What you consume—not just food, but news and entertainment. You always retain the power to press delete, change the channel, or recycle that book. Is there something you consume that you’d like to increase, decrease, or eliminate?

Who you spend time with. Of course, we may spend time with certain people out of obligation, but we do retain a measure of discretion. With whom might you want to spend more time or less?

How you recreate. Would you like to increase or decrease some recreation you currently pursue? For example, I know someone who plays pickleball because his friend likes it but he doesn't.

Your health. For example, everyone makes choices as to how COVID-safe they want to be. For example, do you want to get out more or less? An example appropriate to the season: How sun-protected do you want to be? When will you wear sunscreen, a hat, or other cover-up clothes?

How you spend or invest your assets. Should you spend more, less, and on what? Should you invest with greater risk in hopes of greater reward, or is this a good time to pull in your purse strings and invest cautiously? For example, you can get a federal-guaranteed 1% gain per year by investing in CDs.

The takeaway

We’ll never have full control. Indeed, determinist philosophers from Spinoza to Sam Harris assert that much of our behavior Is determined. But I prefer to side with those who believe in a measure of free will. Perhaps one or more of this post's ideas will help you better exert your free will or at least help you feel grateful for the measure of control you do have.

I read this aloud on YouTube.