In control!

[TWR]

A poster replied with this yesterday, is it a good topic? are you in control of your life?

[starone]

Nope. Completely out of control. Just accept whatever comes along.

[joggerjayne]

Yep. Totally.

But then, I have no husband or children to steer me off track.

[DTCwordfan]

You have us, Jayne, to take you off the straight and narrow,

[cazzz1975]

I am in control of the bits that need controlling, the rest of it is pure speculation

[joggerjayne]

Yes, DTC ... you lot are a totally bad influence.

[China Doll]

As much as I possibly can be.

[starone]

How can you be in control when life is so out of control? Who knows what is waiting round the next corner? Certainly not me, and unless you are a miracle worker and can read the future neither can any of you.

[Eve]

I think a feeling of control is more a false sense of security as you never know what's round the corner, I'm with Starbuckone on this one.

Mine has been thrown out of control so many times, especially over the last few years and I am under no illusions I can control anything anymore, just do what I can and try to have a backup in case of emergencies.

[China Doll]

Well let me think.... I'm in control of who I'm with, where I live, where I work, the work I do, the choices I make, the bills I pay, the flat I live in, who my friends are, what colour clothes and shoes I wear, the make up I use, the products I buy and the food I eat or drink as a mere starter... I think it would be a very strange person who lets life just happen to them.

[starone]

I am an atheist, but I still like the following quotation - "If you want to make God laugh, tell him your future plans".

[China Doll]

So you chose to be an atheist then... sounds like something within your control.

[starone]

Think about it China - did you really choose where you live, or was it what you could afford? Did you actually choose your job, or was it the one available when you were looking for work? Were you able to choose what you do for a living? Lucky you! The bills you pay? You have to pay them whether you want to or not. You have to live within your means so that decides what you can do about choosing clothes and food and so on. I would choose to live in Stoke Bishop (a posh part of Bristol) but I live on a Council Estate, because I haven't got the cash to buy a house in Stoke Bishop. I choose to shop in an expensive shop, but I actually go to Tesco or Aldi. You are bound by the fickle finger of fate.

[NOX]

I'm actually with both China and Star on this one- some things I control and choose but the majority of life scatters you to the wind. I did make some important decisions a few eyars back which changed everything so I do control where I live because I made the choices to make enough money to be able to choose and wouldn't move if I won the lottery, I shop in Aldi because I like the food;-) and had children because I always wanted a big family. Equally I was lucky with money also when I first started my financial 'attack' phase, Aldi is my nearest supermarket and I'm lazy and my wife and I were lucky enough to be able to have children- any of that could be different.

[China Doll]

Yes I really did chose where I lived. I could have lived somewhere cheaper or more expensive. I liked the space where I live. So did the man hostage.

Yes. I chose to apply for this job as I like being a PA and thought working in child protection would be an excellent choice for my character. I chose to work for the public sector (specifically the NHS) back in 2002 after it dawned on me that sales and targets was ever going to make me a productive human being. I also choose to go above and beyond my role and actually take an extensive interest in what I do for a living as it makes me better at my job but also I enjoy it.

I'd love to decide whether I want to pay the council tax or the water rates of the electricity or gas but ultimately, I like using them so I guess I'd better pay for what I use. I do choose how much I use.

I could got to waitrose or John Lewis for my shop but I can get more money from tescos and I like the points.

Perhaps if I sat back and let things happen to me then maybe I wouldn't get to make so many choices but I've always been quite a get up and go type person and I don't like being out of control or festering which is what I think happens to a person if they don't take ownership or responsiblity for their own lives and the decisions they make, even if they were wrong.

I control the books I read, the opinions I have, how I interpret what I read in the papers, the music I listen to etc...

I can't control if I get hit by a speeding car but I can try and minimise the risk by crossing at the lights and following the green cross code. I can't control if I live a long life but I can try and help things along by diet, exercise and not completely abusing my body. I can't control my boyfriend but I can choose to be with him and choose to be as happy as possible always rather than worrying what will be. I can't choose my family but I can choose who I keep in contact with. I do

[China Doll]

I do choose my friends and I can control how I let my friends and others treat me, I firmly believe that with regards to the people in your life, you attract what you put out.

Life is full of things we can control. The unexpected is generally what challenges us and sometimes what makes life worth living but it's unexpected precisely because it wasn't something you could control. Given that most of us live out lives by routines, eg, what time we get up, when we have dinner, waht time we leave for work/start work etc... I would say that mroe things are in our control than we give credit for.

I have seen a lot of people who don't take responsibility or control of their own destiny as much as possible and they've never seemed very happy to me.

[starone]

What a lovely life you lead China. And you seem like a very nice person. Everything also seems to have fallen the right way for you, and I can see you have worked hard for it. I do agree in essence with what you say, but there are so many unpredictable aspects of life that it is impossible to say what is going to happen to you. So no-one can ever be in complete control. As much as possible, yes, but never completely.

[joggerjayne]

You sound sorted, China. Good you.

I also live here because I want to. I sold a big, detached house to move here, because I can walk into the town, and I can see the sea.

I gave up my job as a lawyer to do what I do now.

I don't have any major outgoings, except my god-daughter's school fees.

I'm quite in control, too.

Good us !!

[Bbbananas]

I am in control of what I need and want to be in control of. But I'm not a control freak and am pretty laid back anyway.