“We are born without choosing to, to parents we haven’t chosen, into bodies and borders we haven’t chosen, to exist in a region of spacetime we haven’t chosen for a duration we don’t choose. As physicists know, we don’t choose the particular atoms that constellate our particular selves or the neural configurations that fire our consciousness. In consequence, as James Baldwin knew, we don’t even choose whom we love.

But amid our slender repertoire of agency are the labels we choose for our labors of love — the works of thought and tenderness we make with the whole of who we are.”  

                ~Maria Popova, founder of Brain Pickings, now The Marginalian 

So much of our existence is out of our control, and if we think too hard about that, we would fret ourselves silly. And in today’s current events, social chaos, and concerns for personal safety and worth, we struggle to define ourselves and what gives us not only satisfaction, but also peace.

What we create and how we impact those we come in contact with are within our control.

We might not be able to direct how folks behave around us, but we can control our attitudes. That’s terrific consolation knowing you have a grip on your reactions. Yeah, sometimes that’s easier said than done, but still, we do.

And as creators we have complete control. We decide our own stories, and we decide what to do with them. How empowering is that?

Next time you think the world is spinning out of control, get a grip on yourself and put some words on paper. Dictate how you feel by taking charge of what you can.