Reactions/Thoughts/Actions
To seek to control your life is a fool's errand. Control instead your reactions to it
I walk through life facing backwards, buffeted by events that I both can and cannot anticipate. My belief, in thinking I can control my future, is an illusion - fate dictates my destiny regardless of my intentions. At best, I can try to set a destination for my journey.
My actions are like throwing seeds over my shoulder, hoping they will grow as I want. In the end, my efforts to bring balance to my life are best spent on managing my reactions to life’s anticipated and unanticipated buffets, and only then on ordering my thoughts and actions.
The external world is constantly peppering me with inputs that my monkey mind perceives as threats or immediately desirable events. Recognizing and separating actual physical threats, immediate or deferred, from threats to my self-image is the key to controlling my thoughts and actions. In this regard, the Cynics were on to something, though I do not agree with their disregard of the need to fit into society.
In other words, focusing on properly recognizing and reacting to life’s inputs is more important and productive than trying to manage my outputs. I will work to recognize and not let undesirable thoughts and actions gain root in my mind, so I will have less weeding to do in the future.