Control is mostly an illusion. We can control some things—such as the clothes we pick out to put on each day, the food we take into our bodies and how we spend our time. And yet, there are so many things we cannot control. And most of these are big things.  

We cannot control political leaders. In America we do get to vote, but we cannot control what decisions the people we voted for make once they are in office. We also cannot control the economy or interest rates. Such issues greatly impact our lives, though we have little control over any of them.

Viktor Frankl who survived the Holocaust and wrote Man’s Search for Meaning said this, “Everything can be taken from a man but one thing: the last of the human freedoms—to choose one’s attitude in any given set of circumstances.”

Frankl discovered this truth while fighting for his life during the Holocaust. He realized that his outlook could not be taken from him. So many things we experience on a daily basis live outside of our control, but we can control how we respond to these events and what attitude we take as life unfolds. We can choose to respond thoughtfully instead of just react.

One of the best postures we can take when life feels uncertain or even volatile is gratitude. We can purposefully focus on what brings us joy and be thankful. We do not have to be fake and pretend to be gracious but can look for things throughout our day and week that provide moments of peace and happiness. We can feel grateful for both small and big things.

The opposite of gratitude can look like depression. When we start to fall into depression it can be hard to find things to feel thankful for. People with depression often report feeling hopeless and unable to think about anything good to look forward to. I will speak more about gratitude and how it is especially powerful during times of uncertainty in the personal part of this blog.  However, for now, please take a moment to assess your mood and outlook.

Do you struggle to find joy daily? Do you feel hopeless or helpless? If you struggle with such feelings and have for 2 weeks or more, you may be depressed. Talking to a counselor can help you process your feelings and learn positive ways to cope. A trained therapist can walk beside you as you learn ways to practice gratitude on a daily basis and focus on what you can control.  

If you are struggling with depression or have any other mental health needs, we are here to help. We would be honored to support you on your journey to mental wholeness. Please contact Life Enhancement Counseling Services today at 407-443-8862 to schedule an appointment with one of our licensed mental health counselors.