Epictetus drew a firm line around what belongs to us, our own choices, and what doesn't, other people's. We exhaust ourselves trying to manage how others think, decide, and behave, none of which is actually ours to run. When you keep trying to control another person, you take on a job you can never finish and lose your own peace in the bargain. Setting that down isn't cold. You can still love them, advise them, hope for them. You just stop staking your calm on choices that were never yours to make. The relief of minding your own domain well, and letting them mind theirs, is enormous.

Inspired by the old idea of dichotomy of control. Written by Ugo Charles.