The Subtle Art Of Not Giving a Fck

Summary part 7
You Have Control Over Your Life
When we feel miserable, it is often because we are not in control –
someone or something is forcing us to experience many bad
situations.

However, when we know that our problems depend on our own

choices, we feel empowered.

We may still have a lot of work to do and even go through some

suffering, but we feel in control of this struggle.

Manson tells the story of William James, a man who has endured
many difficulties in his life, including illness.

Much of what happened to James was not his fault, but he suffered
for everything regardless.

James was about to kill himself when he decided to experiment: for

a year, he decided to take responsibility for everything that
happened to him, whether it was his fault or not.

He then became the father of American psychology.

Things that are out of our control happen, but Manson reminds us
that the interpretation of these things is in our control. Taking
responsibility for our own experiences gives us power.

It also helps us realize that we can not control anyone else – we can
only control how we act. That can be tricky, especially in the face of
a tragedy.

Events like illnesses, hurricanes, and accidents happen to people

every day, and these people do not choose those events. However,
we must choose how to proceed afterward.