Worry can rob you of happiness.
—Proverbs 12:25
Greek Stoic philosopher Epictetus was born a slave. His owner broke his leg; for his entire life, he walked with a limp.
Epictetus asserted that distinguishing between what is under your control and what isn’t is the track to tranquility. Having been a slave wasn’t under his control; nor was his crippled leg. “Lameness,” he said, “is a hindrance to the leg, but not to your ability to choose.”
It is useless and immature to get angry and agitated by things you can’t control. Let it go. Focus on things you can do something about.
You don’t control the weather, the economy, or the traffic. You don’t control other people’s choices, opinions, or words. You don’t control the past.
But you do control your responses to the things that you don’t control.
If you don’t control it, brush it off.
If you control it, own it.