Have you ever been labelled a control freak?
Sometimes obsessive and controlling tendencies like being a clean freak can create more stress than necessary, especially when it ends up in an argument.
In this blog post we are going to chat to you about how you can reign in that inner control freak and get some calm back.
Why You May Have Control Freak Tendencies
Controlling others and your environment can lead to relationship rifts and some pretty nasty hair pulling (well in our case).
For some, controlling their environment is a requirement to make them feel calm and at ease on the inside.
Managing the world around us, including people and things can seem like the best way to gain a sense of order and control in our lives. Especially when we’re feeling really stressed out.
Trying to control our external environment, can often make us feel way more stressed and that’s because the focus is on others and not ourselves.
At the end of the day, we can only control ourselves.
Learning to create a calmer environment for yourself, needs to start within yourself. Not with other people.
That’s because trying to control other people’s actions is impossible, which leads to more stress and more anxiety.
Steps to Reign in that Inner Control Freak and Reduce Anxiety
Follow these steps and learn to lower expectations and learn to become less reactive during times of stress.
1. Awareness
Become aware of how you feel before you react.
Next time you see someone make a mess, before reacting, notice what emotions or feelings are arising within you – this is quite the self-discovery process! Having awareness means giving yourself the space to make a choice about how you want respond to your emotions.
2. Manage Expectations
Start to accept other’s habits as they are, and if you want to clean up after someone, choose to do it because you want to.
Accept your own cleanliness tendencies, but don’t impose your expectations onto others. Don’t try and change them into something they’re not. Change your own rules, if it’s making you stressed out – just know ‘it’s not perfect but at least it’s done’.
3. Train Yourself to Relax Before Controlling Your Environment or Obsessively Controlling
You will find that when you train yourself to feel calm first, the intensity of needing to frantically clean and get everything done in order to feel calm will reduce because you are fulfilling your need for relaxation FIRST.
“Every day brings a choice: to practice stress or to practice peace. Joan Borysenko”
Question of the Day
We hope that our blog post and Youtube video will help you to ease your inner control freak and help you feel more at peace with your environment.
Question of the Day: What are your control freak tendencies? Comment below.
Let us know below, or tag us on instagram, facebook or comment on our youtube video.
