It's impossible to control all the variables that cause us stress. But it is possible to control how we respond to stress. And it turns out that knowing — and noticing — the difference between what you can and can't control makes a big difference.
"It's really important to cognitively shift to focusing on what you have control over in a given situation. That can help keep stress in that kind of moderate, manageable level," Jennifer Beckjord, Psy.D., senior director of clinical services at University of Pittsburgh Medical Center Western Psychiatric Hospital, told TODAY.
Take climate change, for example. "There are lots of things related to climate change that are out of our control. We don't set the laws, and we can't control the companies. But what we can do is recycle. We can use a hybrid car. We can support politicians and companies that are engaged in climate change," added Vaile Wright, Ph.D., senior director for health care innovation at the American Psychological Association.
Focusing on what you can control gives you more agency and less of a sense of hopelessness. That doesn't mean that it's always easy to shift your focus, but taking a moment to check in, pause and remember your agency may make you feel better when life gets hectic.
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