The only thing we actually control is our thinking, so we should choose our thoughts well.
We are what we think. Nous sommes ce que nous pensons et il nous arrive ce à quoi nous prêtons foi. In other words, what we think can have an impact on what happens to us. I'm not saying that we can control our destiny. I'm saying that our thinking acts as a road map for a journey that will inevitably and unexpectedly zig and zag along the way.
As in "plan your work and work your plan", we can [and do] choose ahead of time our attitude, our outlook and how our thinking on just about everything will be oriented.
In that same line of thinking, we also get to choose or emotions, since they too spring from our thoughts. Of course, feelings/emotions can take us unexpectedly. But, we have the power choose awareness of our feelings, such that we are not ruled by our emotions. Rather, we rule our emotions: It's the difference between being owned by our feelings and taking ownership over our feelings.
Of course, it's more easily said than done. It boils down to choosing a thinking discipline. It's not always easy, especially in the realm of emotional management, but to borrow a cliché, practice makes perfect.
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