We Can't Choose What Happens, But We Can Choose How We React | The Odyssey Online
Start writing a post
Health and Wellness

We Can't Control What Happens To Us But We CAN Control How We Move Forward

It's challenging, but acceptance is actually freeing and empowering.

147
We Can't Control What Happens To Us But We CAN Control How We Move Forward

Life has an interesting way of presenting us with a wide range of events. Sometimes, these events that occur would never even have happened in our wildest dreams, let alone be on our radar for commencing in reality. People can end up causing us immense amounts of stress and tension. People who were once close to us can end up betraying us. Events that we never expected to roll out end up happening. Support systems that we thought were unmoveable end up moving away.

The life plan that we wrote out years ago ends up going haywire.

There is no way to predict what is going to happen to us, nor is there a way to predict when things are going to happen. The intimidating truth is that we have no way to control what happens to us. This is incredibly frustrating and can often lead to very heaven emotions.

Although, what is super invigorating is that we can control how we react to the surprises that life gives us. We do have the power to work with the heavy emotions of a particularly surprising situation rather than working against those heavy emotions. It is healthy to feel all of the emotions that we have, yet we tend to want to suppress negative emotions and avoid facing them.

Emotional integrity is working with all emotions no matter how challenging they may be.

After feeling these emotions and accepting that they are normal, we make a choice about where to move with the results of the situation at hand. For the most part, we cannot choose what happens to us and we cannot choose what automatic reaction we have to certain situations. However, we CAN choose how to move on with our lives after the adverse event and the resulting reaction.

We can choose acceptance.

We can choose forgiveness.

We can choose knowledge.

These three outcomes do not come easily. Acceptance of reality, the forgiveness of both ourselves and others, and knowledge of self, society, and the world do not occur without us working to remain in a certain mindset first.

Most importantly, these major milestones only commence when we first choose to let go and move forward. Life doesn't stop moving — this notion is overwhelming. To cope with all that is present, it is imperative to always remember that you have the amazing opportunity to choose where it matters most.

Report this Content
Entertainment

Every Girl Needs To Listen To 'She Used To Be Mine' By Sara Bareilles

These powerful lyrics remind us how much good is inside each of us and that sometimes we are too blinded by our imperfections to see the other side of the coin, to see all of that good.

566791
Every Girl Needs To Listen To 'She Used To Be Mine' By Sara Bareilles

The song was sent to me late in the middle of the night. I was still awake enough to plug in my headphones and listen to it immediately. I always did this when my best friend sent me songs, never wasting a moment. She had sent a message with this one too, telling me it reminded her so much of both of us and what we have each been through in the past couple of months.

Keep Reading...Show less
Zodiac wheel with signs and symbols surrounding a central sun against a starry sky.

What's your sign? It's one of the first questions some of us are asked when approached by someone in a bar, at a party or even when having lunch with some of our friends. Astrology, for centuries, has been one of the largest phenomenons out there. There's a reason why many magazines and newspapers have a horoscope page, and there's also a reason why almost every bookstore or library has a section dedicated completely to astrology. Many of us could just be curious about why some of us act differently than others and whom we will get along with best, and others may just want to see if their sign does, in fact, match their personality.

Keep Reading...Show less
Entertainment

20 Song Lyrics To Put A Spring Into Your Instagram Captions

"On an island in the sun, We'll be playing and having fun"

453737
Person in front of neon musical instruments; glowing red and white lights.
Photo by Spencer Imbrock on Unsplash

Whenever I post a picture to Instagram, it takes me so long to come up with a caption. I want to be funny, clever, cute and direct all at the same time. It can be frustrating! So I just look for some online. I really like to find a song lyric that goes with my picture, I just feel like it gives the picture a certain vibe.

Here's a list of song lyrics that can go with any picture you want to post!

Keep Reading...Show less
Chalk drawing of scales weighing "good" and "bad" on a blackboard.
WP content

Being a good person does not depend on your religion or status in life, your race or skin color, political views or culture. It depends on how good you treat others.

We are all born to do something great. Whether that be to grow up and become a doctor and save the lives of thousands of people, run a marathon, win the Noble Peace Prize, or be the greatest mother or father for your own future children one day. Regardless, we are all born with a purpose. But in between birth and death lies a path that life paves for us; a path that we must fill with something that gives our lives meaning.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments