When the situation around you is beyond your control, double down on your discipline to stay in control of yourself, especially when those elements are emotional and impactful. You never want what is out of your control to dictate and determine what is in your power.
My mindset is to create a vivid mental picture of an old-school balance scale, with two hanging trays I can load and weigh against each other. Then, for every ounce of impactful factors beyond my control, I counterbalance it with a clear, conscious decision to strategically control something in myself. The strategy behind my mindset is to see what is in my control as outweighing what is out of my control. Seeing the scale in my mind makes it more concrete and less theoretical. The picture in my head moves me to act.
When my connecting flight gets canceled with no easy options and everyone is anxious and angry, I intentionally counter it with relentless problem-solving and a big picture perspective. I'm fine. I'll be fine. I can still enjoy myself during this. When someone seems intent on making false assumptions or misinterpreting me, I counter it with patience and humility within myself. I can improve my clarity and communication. Find agreement and work from there. It's ok if they don't get it.
The world around you can be spinning in chaos. You still have control over the essentials: your mind, decisions, and actions. Sometimes you need to redistribute the scales.
Answer the call. Do the work.
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