Regaining Control: Effective Steps to Take When Life Feels Out of Control

Our lives have become stressful enough as it is, but throw in chaos and unexpected changes, and you’ll have a concoction of overwhelmed feelings and loss of control. Finding calm in chaos can be challenging when we don’t know what we’re dealing with. More often than not, all of this chaos in our lives can make us feel out of control. So, what to do when life feels out of control?

When your life is out of control, it can bring emotions such as frustration, sadness, and even anger to the surface. When you can’t be sure what life will throw at you next, then it can cause fear in your heart and mind, making you feel a loss of control.

This brings us to the question once more; “What can you do when life feels out of control?” Let’s take a look at some of the reasons why your life may feel out of control and what steps you can take to regain control.

Why Does Your Life Feel Out of Control?

Various reasons can make you feel a loss of control. Some of the common reasons can include;

• Increased Stress

If you’re currently in high-stress situations, then it can make you experience a feeling of losing control in life. When you’re constantly hounded and overloaded by stress and overwhelming feelings from everywhere in life, then it can make you feel out of control.

• Poor Health

Yes, your health can also be a reason you feel a loss of control in life. When your health issues – both mental and physical – occur, it can make you feel like nothing’s in your control anymore. Now these health issues could be because of genetics and even situational factors. You may also feel like your life is out of control when you have a loved one struggling with poor health.

• Toxic Relationships

Relationships – not just romantic but platonic, social, and work – can also become a reason for feeling a loss of control. If you’re a busy parent, partner, or friend, then you may feel like you don’t have a lot of time to fulfill the expectations that come with that role. So, when you’re unable to meet the needs and expectations of your relationships, it can make you feel like your life is out of control.

• Poor Work-Life Balance

When your job is demanding and when you don’t have a balanced work-life, then it can also make you feel like you’re not in control of your life. You may become too overwhelmed or even show signs of burnout if there is no work-life balance. Eventually, if this carries on, your life may feel out of control.

• Traumatic Life Event

Any recent tragic or traumatic life event can also feel chaotic and overwhelming. This trauma could be related to grief and depression as well. When everything strikes, you may feel helpless and lost in life, making it feel like you don’t have any control over your life. Traumatic events may also bring forth uncomfortable feelings and emotions that can also become a leading cause of PTSD.

What to Do When Life Feels Out of Control?

When your life is out of control, here’s what you can do to regain control;

1.Pause And Step Aside

To find calm in chaos, you need to accept that taking breaks in life occasionally is OK. Taking a step aside from life and pressing pause can help you de-stress. During this time, you can focus on practicing self-care, meditation, and stress management techniques to help increase your resilience toward life and regain control.

2.Reset Your Mindset

Instead of saying, “I feel out of control”, take a new perspective and say, “It is what it is.” Resetting your mindset and shifting your perspective can help you change how you view the situation. Doing this can help you take control of your life. This, however, does not mean that you accept stress as a part of life. It means letting go of what you can’t control and focusing on what is in front of you.

3.Focus on What You Can Control

This brings us to our next point. You need to acknowledge that you can’t always control what happens to you in your life, however, you can still control some things. Try to focus on what you can control. For example; you are concerned about your health. Your health issues may be out of control but you can exercise to make sure that your health does not deteriorate further.

4.Talk to a Trusted Person

When chaos becomes too much and you’re constantly feeling a loss of control, you can try to reach out to a trusted friend or family member. If not, then you can also connect with a professional therapist or join a support group to help you feel less overwhelmed and stressed. Talking to someone can help you sort your feelings out and work on them with proper help and support.

5.Work on a Hobby

Hobbies have many benefits and can help you take your mind off things that are out of your control. Your hobbies can be anything that makes you happy and distracts you from your chaos. You can go on a walk, journal, do some gardening, or even knit! These hobbies can help remind you that you’re in control of your life and it’s up to you to decide what happens.

6.Plan For The Future

It’s time to take out that planner and jot down your plans for the future. With this move, you can get a handle on your future and feel less overwhelmed when you’re faced with loss of control. The next time you feel like your life feels out of control, you can look at the planner and know that there are some things that you have in your control that nothing might change.

Word of Advice…

You need to remember that you are stronger than you think! Everything in your life might not be in your control, but there are still some things that you can control if you plan for them ahead. If you’ve ever thought about how your life feels out of control, you can take back control by following the above-listed ways. And if you’re still struggling to regain control, you can reach out to a professional counselor for help.

So, what do you do to find calm in the chaos in your life? If you have any other things, you do when life feels out of control, then you can share them with us in the comments below. You can also let us know by leaving us a message on our social media.

Take care!