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When I was a kid and in my early twenties, I suffered from a lot of anxiety. My wanting to control everything overwhelmed me and would create anxious thoughts in my head.

For the past decade, I have made an effort to let go of the past with Yoga and meditations.

I came to the realization that I am not able to control the following things and only able to control one:

• I can’t control the weather. There will be alterations in the weather day-to-day.

• I can’t control my hair. I will have bad hair days, that’s when a bun or braids comes in handy.

• I can’t control the fact that I won’t always look the way that I want to. Fat and ugly days are a real thing.

• I can’t control what people say about me. All that I can do is live true to me and do my best.

• I can’t control that student that left my yoga class upset with me. I have other students to focus on.

• I can’t control unhappy and discontent people. Sure I can be an influence but, ultimately, they are the only ones who can make themselves happy.

• I can’t control how people feel about me. They are entitled to feel how they feel.

• I can’t control being ghosted by two of my exes. People deal with closure in different ways.

• I can’t control why I was bullied in the past. ‘Hurt people hurt people’.

• I can’t control that guy who put his hand on my backside while I was working.

• I can’t control my former boss who would make jokes about sleeping with me.

• I can’t control people who go out of their way to make me feel badly about myself.

• I can’t control when my future life partner will come into my life.

The thing I can control:

Myself! I am the master of my thoughts and actions. Although I don’t have control over everything previously mentioned, I certainly have control over how I respond and what I will do after.