Never underestimate your power to change yourself; never overestimate your power to change others. –Wayne Dyer
This quote embodies one of my favorite topics with my students and my own children. We have no control over other people, the
things they do or the way they act. The only thing we have control over is ourselves. That is where our focus should be, on what we do, and how we react.
My student’s especially have a difficult time with this because they think my job is to “fix” them. Nothing could be further from the truth. First, they aren’t broken and they don’t need to be “fixed.” Second, my job is to provide them with the tools and knowledge to make changes in their own lives.
Oftentimes, I will find myself ranting and raving and working up a full head of steam over something somebody else has said or done. That’s when I need to take a step back and remind myself that they own their behavior, but I own mine. I need to think about how I’m reacting and fix that, not them. Remember you have the power to change yourself and you’ll be far more successful if you focus on those changes rather than trying to change the world around you.
