The FASTEST Strategy to Feel More in Control

Hi there, Rebecca here!

Right now, with the current Covid pandemic, you might be feeling a tremendous lack of control over the situation we, as a global population, find ourselves in.

Control, certainty and security all go hand in hand…

And are rooted very much in the most primitive part of our brains (sometimes referred to as the ‘reptilian’ brain)…

Yup – I want you to think big, scary dinosaurs chasing little dinosaurs and you’ve hit the nail on the head. 🙂

So this small, base segment of our brains has remained unchanged since the dinosaurs…

The brain that keeps us safe and enables our survival…

The brain that triggers our ‘run away’ reflex in times of crisis and fear.

Our basic human needs centre around creating security, safety and survival…

And to achieve these outcomes, in more modern times, what we most need is more control and certainty.

And if you’re thinking ‘This is great Rebecca, but I would love more support in my career…’ then I’d love to help you! You can join my own private Facebook Group for free, get regular strategies, free training videos and the support of other fabulous members.

How to Feel More Secure

Right now, amidst a global pandemic, now more than ever, we want to know what the future holds but, as you know, this is even more unlikely at the moment than usual, right?
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If this is resonating with you… you might be thinking:

What can I do about it?

How can I gain more certainty?

How can I feel more secure?

In his epic book, “The 7 Habits of Highly Successful People”, Stephen R. Covey talks about your ‘locus of control’.

I’d like you to imagine a small circle.

This circle represents all that is WITHIN your control.

Now imagine a much larger, wider circle surrounding your little one.

This represents everything OUTSIDE of your control.

This simple, yet profound, diagram is applicable to all circumstances you might find yourself in…

Dealing with difficult people…

Handling disappointments…

Managing a work crisis…

You can always ask yourself,

“What IS and IS NOT within my control?” to help you get more perspective.

What Is & What Is Not Within My Control?

Let’s use this model and apply it to your current isolation, lack of certainty and clarity of what the future holds.

So first, let’s look at the outer circle: at some of the aspects that are NOT within your control right now:

How governments and how WHO choose to respond
How the media portrays what is happening
The outbreak itself
The treatment of those who are sick
The scores of people affected who are living in poverty
The devastating outcomes of this pandemic

If you focus all your energies on this circle alone, and keep returning to thoughts within this circle, you will easily spiral into overwhelm, grief, anger, guilt and even shame.

So What IS In Your Control?

A much more beneficial approach is to assess what IS within your control right now.

Here are some examples:

How you choose to think about the crisis
How you choose to talk to yourself
How you choose to frame the current situation
How you choose to behave towards others
How you choose to make the best of your isolation
How often you discuss the issue, revisit statistics websites and reinforce negative imagery
How often, and how deeply, you choose to engross yourself in the media (for example, checking the news hourly won’t help anxiety)
How you choose to react to the current situation (in here I include if you decide to overthink; stress; create unnecessary anxiety in your mind; worry; feel guilty for others)

There is a great deal that is well beyond your control currently.

And you might feel helpless about that. This is perfectly normal.

The key is to focus on aspects that are IMMEDIATELY within your control.

As you can see from the list above, there is actually a great deal already within your control.

Remember too…

That anxiety and stress are not involuntary emotions…

But states that you create.

Just as you can choose to create an unproductive state in yourself…

You can choose to create a productive one.

And the fastest track to that more positive frame of mind, is to focus on all that you can control.

You might find there’s more in there than you thought.

Rebecca Allen is a Career Success Coach for Corporate Women with 13 years’ experience; Host of the podcast Her Ambitious Career (Apple Podcasts, Spotify); and International Speaker. She helps corporate women get promoted, land better opportunities, get paid appropriately and dramatically grow in confidence.

If you are ready to step it up in your career, schedule a free 15-minute Career Strategy Call with Rebecca.