Let go of control for personal growth

The struggle to relinquish control is a common human experience, often rooted in fear and a desire for certainty. To navigate this, it’s crucial to first understand the sources of your need for control, distinguishing between what you can and cannot influence. Practicing “letting go” involves small, incremental steps, cultivating trust, and accepting uncertainty. This process requires self-reflection, self-compassion, and the development of healthy coping mechanisms. Ultimately, releasing the need to control can lead to reduced stress, improved relationships, and a greater sense of inner peace.

It’s common to struggle to Let go of control for personal growth. There is a cost to our mental health and emotional wellbeing. We actually become more anxious, more depressed and less balanced and joyful. The brain does us no favours here because it is how we are wired for survival. Control is a mask we wear established by our personality, which basically means “mask”. It is only in finding our true selves, our authentic self, that we can remove these masks that start to choke us out. Here’s a breakdown of questions we use at our private depression treatment centre that can help you explore and navigate this process:

Understanding Your Control Issues:

• What areas of my life do I feel the need to control most strongly? (Relationships, work, finances, etc.)
• What am I afraid will happen if I relinquish control? (Fear of failure, judgment, uncertainty, etc.)
• Where does this need for control stem from? (Past experiences, insecurities, etc.)
• What are the benefits I believe I gain from being in control?
• What are the negative consequences of trying to control everything? (Stress, anxiety, strained relationships, etc.)
• On a scale of 1 to 10, how much of my energy is spent trying to control things outside of my influence?

Identifying What You Can and Can’t Control:

• What aspects of this situation are within my control? (My actions, reactions, thoughts)
• What aspects are outside of my control? (Other people’s actions, external events)
• Am I trying to control things that are not my “business” to control? (Focusing on others’ choices rather than my own)

Practicing Let go of control for personal growth:

• What is one small step I can take to relinquish control in a specific situation?
• How can I practice trusting others or trusting the process?
• What does “surrender” mean to me, and how can I incorporate it into my life?
• When I feel the urge to control, how can I redirect my focus to what I can influence?
• How can I cultivate a sense of acceptance for uncertainty?
• What can I do to sooth myself when I feel the anxiety of letting go of control?
• How can I reframe my thoughts about “failure” to see it as a learning opportunity?
• What are some healthy coping mechanisms that I can use, when I feel I am losing control?

Reflecting and Growing:

• When have I successfully let go of control in the past, and what were the outcomes?
• What have I learned from those experiences?
• How can I develop greater self-compassion and reduce self-judgment?
• What does a life with less control and more trust look like for me?
• How can I set healthy boundaries to protect my energy and well-being?

By asking yourself these questions, you can gain valuable insights into how to Let go of control for personal growth and begin to cultivate a healthier relationships with control. When it comes to establishing a growth mindset, especially when it comes to healing depression, or healing anxiety or addictions in recovery you need to begin with what we call Pathway #1 of the Paradigm Process Healing Course which is Letting go of control and recovering a sense of self love. You can work these 10 steps with us anytime in-person or online and really, really change your life around.