Self-Control is Power

“A man who is master of himself can end a sorrow as easily as he can invent a pleasure. I don't want to be at the mercy of my emotions. I want to use them, to enjoy them, and to dominate them.”~Oscar Wilde

“You can not always control circumstances, but you can control your own thoughts.”~Charles Popplestown

A lot of interpersonal issues and problems revolve around one topic: control. Who's controlling who, what, when, where, how and why. Control is synonymous to power. We all are born empowered by our Creator. As we grow and mature, we discover areas in which to exercise our innate sense of dominion. Nonetheless, the most powerful arena in which power can ever be executed is...self-control.

Controlling one's self seems to be such an easy task. Most people would probably assert that they do control themselves, but do we really? Are you really in control of yourself or are you just responding to life? Do other people, situation and circumstances control you? If someone cuts you off in traffic, how do you respond? If a loved one is having a bad day, do you let his/her attitude or words affect you? Someone can't make you hit them or cuss them, your loss of control produces those actions. We only have limited control of situations and circumstances and we have the power of influence over people in our lives. Nevertheless, we cannot control others, we can merely influence their actions but we cannot make them do anything. We can, however, control ourselves at all times!

How do we control ourselves?

1. Our Attitudes

2. Our Responses

3. Our Words

3. Our Bodies/Appetites

4. Our Habits/Influences