09/03/2025
🔥🔥 We Can’t Control Others, But We Can Control Ourselves 💪✨🔥🔥
Ah, the joys of parenting young adults, a stage no one really prepares you for. You survive the sleepless nights of infancy, the tantrums of toddlerhood, the attitude of the teenage years, and then just when you think you are in the clear, you are faced with a whole new challenge: letting go.
One of the biggest lessons I have learned as a parent (and as a human, really) is that I have absolutely no control over what other people do, say, or think. And let me tell you, that can be infuriating. Especially when it comes to your own children, who you have spent decades nurturing, teaching, and guiding, only for them to go off and make their own (sometimes questionable) decisions.
At times, I have had to bite my tongue so hard I am surprised I still have one. There have been moments where every fibre of my being wanted to jump in, fix things, or set someone straight. But I have learned, often the hard way, that the best response is not always a response. Sometimes, the best thing you can do is walk away.
As the old saying goes, the way to fuel a fire is with more fire. The same applies to disagreements, especially with young adults who are trying to assert their independence. If I meet their frustration with my own, all I am doing is adding fuel to the flames. Instead, I have found that stepping back, taking a breath, and choosing my response (rather than reacting in the heat of the moment) makes all the difference.
This is not just about parenting, it applies to friendships, relationships, and even random encounters with rude strangers. We cannot control how people treat us, but we can control how we respond. And often, the most powerful response is simply not engaging.
So, the next time someone’s behaviour is pushing all your buttons, take a step back. Ask yourself: Is this worth my energy? Is this something I can actually change? Or is my best move to walk away and let the fire burn itself out?
Turns out, peace is not something we get from controlling others, it is something we create by mastering ourselves.
💖 Lisa xox