Wasted Energy

I'm in a car right now writing this. We've been in the car for almost 14hrs and we still have about 3.5 more to go. Our flight was cancelled without another option so we rented a car. Just my wife and I. YeeHaw. 

We were literally about 20 minutes from boarding our flight to get back home and see our kids before they went to bed. No luck. Allegiant decided otherwise. I got pretty frustrated in about 4 seconds and it lasted a while. Just ask Andrea.  I didn't do anything but I could feel my blood pressure go up, my attitude sucked and my hands start to sweat a little bit. I was angry. They were messing with my schedule, my plan and my time. All I cared about was me for while.

Here's a fact...That anger I felt didn't help anything. In all honesty, it just hurt me. It got me stirred up for a good 2 hours. It consumed my thoughts and my physiology. It changed me from the inside out. It was a choice I made to not stop it. I just let it roll on. Almost like I thought something would change. It didn't. Ask Andrea. 

Here's the deal. How I handled that was from an animal, emotional instinct. I didn't get what I wanted/needed so I got upset. Rather than pausing and putting some logic and intention to it and putting an end to it realizing nothing would change it I just keep hanging on to it. 

This is a small example of having an uncontrollable change you. It's dumb. It's a choice you aren't willing to make in those instances. Do I let it happen or not? Do I let it shift my attitude? Sounds like an easy choice doesn't it? It's not. You get it. 

Here's the thing. I really try to focus on what I control. What happens outside of me I don't control. Other people. Weather. Situations. None of them for the most part. What I do control is pretty simple...

1. My attitude. - What attitude do I choose to roll with after an event or situation? That's a choice I get to make. 

2. My effort. - Where do I put my effort when things don't go as planned. Do I focus my effort on complaining or finding a solution and taking action? 

3. My focus. - Is it on what's wrong or what's right or what good can come from it? Is it the problem or solution?

Life's too short to let the uncontrollables take your focus, attitude and energy from your effort. Guard these. Use them how you want, not what the external situation is pressing you to do. Remember...it's a choice. It's a hard one. We get in the habit of trying to control that which we don't. We do this instead of mastering what we do control. 

Control what you control. Attitude. Focus. Effort. 

If you spend your time in these 3 areas your life will move forward in many ways. Trust me. Learn from my mistake today. 

Catch you soon...if we ever get home.