By nature I am a control-loving person. If you've met me for a short time, you know that. I'm a "place for everything and everything in its place" type of person. I like it when things flow by the rules. Consequently, I can get quite bent when people don't do what they are supposed to do. For example, our people gets lots of safety training by an excellent trainer (me!). Even though they know what they are required to do, they don't always do it.
Lately though, I've taken another approach. I have started telling myself and others who are frustrated by these type of incidents one of two variations on the same theme- "I can only control one person (me), and I don't always do as well at that as I should" or more succintly "I can't control other people". Granted, this is something I've known for a while, but I've never really taken it to heart. People control their own behavior. Period. Does that mean we shouldn't educate them and try to influence good choices? Absolutely not! What it does mean is that once I've done my very best to show them the right way, if they choose not to take it, it reflects fully on them. The ensuing consequences are totally on them. I'm completely in the clear.
If it's not in my control, there's really nothing to be done about it. Thus, no need to get upset. I wish I'd have figured this out a long time ago. It does make life a lot simpler.
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