LOVE TO CONTROL?

I've always been reluctant to admit how much of a "control freak" I am. I don't mean that I'm manipulative or controlling of other people, just outcomes! Part of this is my obsessive need to plan. I am an obsessive planner, to the point where I feel rather anxious about "letting things happen". I would love to be more laid back but I guess that's just me! Or so I thought. It's a gradual learning process but it IS possible to build an element of trust not only in ourselves but in the process of life too. It really is all about trusting. Anxiety and overplanning seem to go hand in hand. When I learned to trust in my ability to cope with outcomes other than the one I desperately hoped (and planned) for, I became more resilient. Life is rarely a smooth path with no obstacles. We can try and plan our way round the obstacles and spend tortuous hours trying to control external forces - or we can accept that sometimes things can go wrong. Was it John Lennon who said "life happens when you've made other plans"?! How right he was! I am stronger than I think I am. You are stronger than you think you are. Some planning is good, essential even - you wouldn't go on holiday without a fair bit of sensible planning - but you can lighten up on the rigid itinerary you've made to ensure you see every single thing there is to see! I tried to put this into practice during my last trip to Thailand. I wasn't expecting rain. It rained....lots! I coped. I went with the flow. I saw far more of this beautiful country than I had planned because the rain diverted me to a different island. I had different experiences. Trust in the process of life and in yourself.