Although one can direct or influence one’s life circumstances, one does not have absolute control over the environment and other people. We therefore have limits as to how far and how quickly we can move from circumstance A to circumstance B, and others can put us in undesirable circumstances that we wouldn’t choose to be in.

An analogy might be the time I was t-boned while driving. The other driver simply did not see my car and darted out from a stop sign. My braking influenced the collision so that she hit my left fender and wheel rather than my driver door, but no amount of acceleration, swerving, or braking on my part would have prevented the collision. I do not think that my choice to be on the road counts against me.

I would also point out that number 5 certainly does not apply to emotionally exhausted victims of child abuse, and I would point out that number 5 is arguably contradictory to number 4.

My suggestion for a rewording would be: “Consider your own choices in your present situation and in how you can find your way to emotional strength.”

As for me, I’m emotionally exhausted on a couple of fronts, and I’m doing everything I reasonably can to find my way out. I have placed multiple irons in proverbial fires, but I simply cannot snap my fingers and have both love and a healthy job in an instant.

Do you understand the concept of “carrying capacity?” Apply it to a person. If one’s resources are depleted faster than they can be replenished, one crashes. I know this from experience, and I’m running at reduced capacity now. I’m doing what I can to change my circumstances, but there’s no quick fix and I cannot make others love me, hire me, or be my customer when I start my business.

Rod