A former neighbor had a dog named O.C. “So,” I asked my neighbor one day, “does O.C. stand for something?” “Yes,” he replied. “It stands for ‘Out-of-Control’”. In spite of multiple doggie etiquette schools and numerous canine behavior modification classes, O.C. did what O.C. wanted to do when O.C. wanted to do it. He was, indeed, appropriately named.
When you think about, there are many things in life that are out of your control. The weather, wars, the stock market, the past, government, foreign policy, gasoline prices, inflation, airline delays, traffic…the list is long. But at the top of the list of things that you and i can’t control is Other People. We’d like to; we try to, but it generally doesn’t work. You can influence. You can ask; you can beg; you can plead; you can try manipulation. You can threaten, but at the end of the day, grown-ups, much like O.C., can and will do what they want to do when they want to do it.
If you’re a parent or teacher, you’re in a better position to influence behavior. If you’re an employer or in a supervisory position, you, too, wield a certain degree of power that can impact conduct. But for most of us, we have to realize that we can’t control other people. You can’t control your spouse, ex-spouse, significant other, adult children, siblings, parents, other drivers, your boss, in-laws, out-laws, neighbors, clients, customers…the list is long.
Bottom line: In spite of their best efforts, our neighbors realized that they couldn’t control a dog named O.C. , and you’ll be less frustrated and less stressed if you realize that you can’t control O.P. – Other People. The only person you can control is yourself, and if you focus on that, it’s enough to keep you busy 24/7 for the rest of your life.
©2018 Julie Alexander
