Trying to Control Makes You Feel Miserable

Are you aware that trying to control what you can’t control makes you feel anxious and unhappy?

Have you ever noticed how bad you feel when you try to control things you can’t control – such as others and outcomes?

Larry consulted with me because he was often miserable – despite running a successful business and having a lovely wife and two daughters, whom he adored.

It soon became apparent that Larry was deeply addicted to controlling everything – his own feelings, how others felt about him, how well his employees performed, what his wife did for him, how well his children did in school, and whether or not anyone ever took advantage of him. His primary intent in life was to be in control and not be controlled.

At the beginning of our work together, I informed him that in the Inner Bonding process, there are only two intents to choose from: the intent to learn about loving yourself and others, and the intent to protect against pain, with some form of controlling behavior. Larry could easily see that his intent in life was to protect against pain with his non-stop controlling behavior. He had never linked his misery to this choice. He could see the irony – that, in his attempts to protect against pain, he was making himself miserable.

“Larry, would you be willing to try an experiment? Every time you feel miserable, ask yourself, without any self-judgement, ‘What am I trying to control?”

Larry agreed to try this.

In our next phone session, Larry told me, “I think I’m on to something here. I’m amazed at how much I try to control and how bad it makes me feel. I’ve always believed that my anxiety and unhappiness was coming from something outside myself – my wife, my kids, my business, my employees, my friends or lack of them. I’ve believed that if only others gave me a lot of attention and did what I wanted, I would feel happy. It’s very eye opening to begin to connect my unhappiness with my own controlling behavior. Actually, it’s empowering! I think I’ve always felt like such a victim – others were not giving me what I wanted and needed to feel happy and good about myself.”

“Larry, did you become aware of how you try to control your own feelings?”

“Well, I became aware that I am constantly judging myself and that this makes me feel awful. Is judging myself controlling?”

“Well, go inside and ask yourself what you hope for by judging yourself.”

“I think I believe that judging myself will get me to do things right and then others will like me.”

“So by judging yourself, you are trying to have control over your behavior, in order to control others’ feelings?”

“Yes, I think that’s right. But it makes me feel miserable.”

“Would you ever judge your daughters to get them to do things right so that others will like them?”

“Oh no, I would never do that! I never judge them. That’s not loving to them… Ah, and I see that it’s also not loving to me.”

Larry not only learned to stop trying to control himself and others, he also learned, through his Inner Bonding practice, to open to learning with his personal Source of spiritual Guidance. As he learned to connect with himself and with his Source of love and truth, he started to feel full and alive within. His joy and passion for life grew daily as he replaced his self-judgments with self-compassion and gentle caring for himself. Needless to say, his relationship with his wife, children, employees, and friends vastly improved as well.


Written by Margaret Paul, PhD

For information or to schedule a phone or Skype session: 310-459-1700 • 888-646-6372 (888-6INNERBOND) http://www.innerbonding.com

You may also like

10 Warning Signs That He’s Going To Be Controlling

Solving the Problem of Controlling People

Everything Is Energy And We Control It With The Power Of Our Thoughts

How to Understand and Control Your Own Toxic Thoughts

4 Hidden Ways a Controlling Personality Undermines A Relationship

Trying to Control Makes You Feel Miserable

 

Published On:

Last updated on:

Dr. Margaret Paul

CO-CREATOR OF INNER BONDING Dr. Paul is the author/co-author of several best-selling books, including Do I Have To Give Up Me to Be Loved By You, Inner Bonding, Healing Your Aloneness, The Healing Your Aloneness Workbook, Do I Have To Give Up Me to Be Loved By My Kids, and Do I Have To Give Up Me To Be Loved By God Dr. Paul’s books have been distributed around the world and have been translated into eleven languages. Dr. Margaret holds a Ph.D. in psychology and is a relationship expert, noted public speaker, workshop leader, educator, chaplain, consultant, and artist. She has appeared on many radio and TV shows, including the Oprah show. She has successfully worked with thousands of individuals, couples and business relationships and taught classes and seminars since 1967. Margaret continues to work with individuals and couples throughout the world on the phone and on Skype. She is able to access her own and her client’s spiritual Guidance during her sessions, which enables her to work with people wherever they are in the world. Her current passion is working on and developing content for this Website, as well as distributing SelfQuest, the software program that teaches Inner Bonding and is donated to prisons and schools, as well as sold to the general public. Margaret Paul, PhD information Anxious, Depressed, Addicted, Empty, Relationship struggles, Inner Bonding – The Power To Heal Yourself! http://www.innerbonding.com

Disclaimer: The informational content on The Minds Journal have been created and reviewed by qualified mental health professionals. They are intended solely for educational and self-awareness purposes and should not be used as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. If you are experiencing emotional distress or have concerns about your mental health, please seek help from a licensed mental health professional or healthcare provider.

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Are you aware that trying to control what you can’t control makes you feel anxious and unhappy?

Have you ever noticed how bad you feel when you try to control things you can’t control – such as others and outcomes?

Larry consulted with me because he was often miserable – despite running a successful business and having a lovely wife and two daughters, whom he adored.

It soon became apparent that Larry was deeply addicted to controlling everything – his own feelings, how others felt about him, how well his employees performed, what his wife did for him, how well his children did in school, and whether or not anyone ever took advantage of him. His primary intent in life was to be in control and not be controlled.

At the beginning of our work together, I informed him that in the Inner Bonding process, there are only two intents to choose from: the intent to learn about loving yourself and others, and the intent to protect against pain, with some form of controlling behavior. Larry could easily see that his intent in life was to protect against pain with his non-stop controlling behavior. He had never linked his misery to this choice. He could see the irony – that, in his attempts to protect against pain, he was making himself miserable.

“Larry, would you be willing to try an experiment? Every time you feel miserable, ask yourself, without any self-judgement, ‘What am I trying to control?”

Larry agreed to try this.

In our next phone session, Larry told me, “I think I’m on to something here. I’m amazed at how much I try to control and how bad it makes me feel. I’ve always believed that my anxiety and unhappiness was coming from something outside myself – my wife, my kids, my business, my employees, my friends or lack of them. I’ve believed that if only others gave me a lot of attention and did what I wanted, I would feel happy. It’s very eye opening to begin to connect my unhappiness with my own controlling behavior. Actually, it’s empowering! I think I’ve always felt like such a victim – others were not giving me what I wanted and needed to feel happy and good about myself.”

“Larry, did you become aware of how you try to control your own feelings?”

“Well, I became aware that I am constantly judging myself and that this makes me feel awful. Is judging myself controlling?”

“Well, go inside and ask yourself what you hope for by judging yourself.”

“I think I believe that judging myself will get me to do things right and then others will like me.”

“So by judging yourself, you are trying to have control over your behavior, in order to control others’ feelings?”

“Yes, I think that’s right. But it makes me feel miserable.”

“Would you ever judge your daughters to get them to do things right so that others will like them?”

“Oh no, I would never do that! I never judge them. That’s not loving to them… Ah, and I see that it’s also not loving to me.”

Larry not only learned to stop trying to control himself and others, he also learned, through his Inner Bonding practice, to open to learning with his personal Source of spiritual Guidance. As he learned to connect with himself and with his Source of love and truth, he started to feel full and alive within. His joy and passion for life grew daily as he replaced his self-judgments with self-compassion and gentle caring for himself. Needless to say, his relationship with his wife, children, employees, and friends vastly improved as well.


Written by Margaret Paul, PhD

For information or to schedule a phone or Skype session: 310-459-1700 • 888-646-6372 (888-6INNERBOND) http://www.innerbonding.com

You may also like

10 Warning Signs That He’s Going To Be Controlling

Solving the Problem of Controlling People

Everything Is Energy And We Control It With The Power Of Our Thoughts

How to Understand and Control Your Own Toxic Thoughts

4 Hidden Ways a Controlling Personality Undermines A Relationship

Trying to Control Makes You Feel Miserable

 

Published On:

Last updated on:

Dr. Margaret Paul

CO-CREATOR OF INNER BONDING Dr. Paul is the author/co-author of several best-selling books, including Do I Have To Give Up Me to Be Loved By You, Inner Bonding, Healing Your Aloneness, The Healing Your Aloneness Workbook, Do I Have To Give Up Me to Be Loved By My Kids, and Do I Have To Give Up Me To Be Loved By God Dr. Paul’s books have been distributed around the world and have been translated into eleven languages. Dr. Margaret holds a Ph.D. in psychology and is a relationship expert, noted public speaker, workshop leader, educator, chaplain, consultant, and artist. She has appeared on many radio and TV shows, including the Oprah show. She has successfully worked with thousands of individuals, couples and business relationships and taught classes and seminars since 1967. Margaret continues to work with individuals and couples throughout the world on the phone and on Skype. She is able to access her own and her client’s spiritual Guidance during her sessions, which enables her to work with people wherever they are in the world. Her current passion is working on and developing content for this Website, as well as distributing SelfQuest, the software program that teaches Inner Bonding and is donated to prisons and schools, as well as sold to the general public. Margaret Paul, PhD information Anxious, Depressed, Addicted, Empty, Relationship struggles, Inner Bonding – The Power To Heal Yourself! http://www.innerbonding.com

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