October 12, 2026 You Can’t Control Everything (And That’s Okay!)
“God Grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, courage to change the things I can, and wisdom to know the difference.” – Reinhold Niebuhr
Listen to, or read this meditation:
Have you ever gotten really upset because it rained on the day you wanted to go to the park? Or maybe you got mad because someone else got picked first for a game? These things feel really frustrating!
But here’s something important to know: there are some things you can control, and some things you can’t. Knowing the difference can make your life SO much easier and happier!
Things you CAN’T control: the weather, what other people do or say, what happened yesterday, or how other people feel about you.
Things you CAN control: how you react, what you say, what you do, how hard you try, and how you treat people.
Let me tell you why this matters. When you spend your energy worrying about things you can’t control, you feel stressed and unhappy. It’s like trying to stop the wind with your hands. You’ll just get tired!
But when you focus on things you CAN control, you feel powerful! You feel like you can actually make a difference.
For example: You can’t control if someone is mean to you. But you CAN control whether you’re mean back or whether you walk away. You can’t control if you win the game. But you CAN control how hard you try and whether you’re a good sport.
You can’t control if it rains. But you CAN control whether you let it ruin your whole day, or whether you find something fun to do inside.
Some folks waste SO much energy worrying about things they can’t change. “What if they don’t like me?” “What if I don’t get picked?” “What if something bad happens?” These worries take up space in your brain that could be used for better things!
Instead, focus on what you CAN do. Can you be kind? Yes! Can you try your best? Yes! Can you learn from mistakes? Yes! Can you help someone? Yes!
When you stop trying to control everything and everyone, you feel lighter. It’s like putting down a heavy backpack you didn’t know you were carrying.
Life is easier when you let go of things you can’t change and focus on things you can. It’s like swimming with the current instead of against it.
Action Step: Draw two circles. In one circle, write things you CAN control. In the other, write things you CAN’T control. When you start to worry about something, check which circle it’s in. If you can’t control it, take a deep breath and let it go!
-Detroit
