10 Steps for Recognizing What’s in Your Control

Many of us are carrying a sense of dread right now.

When we polled our audience about their outlook for 2026, nearly half said they feel at least somewhat pessimistic heading into the year. Respondents shared fears about job security, the cost of living, saving enough for retirement, and the overall state of government and the world at large—big, interconnected forces that are largely outside any one person’s control.

When we’re constantly exposed to a negative news cycle, feelings of helplessness often creep in. The key to resisting that sense of paralysis is building uncertainty tolerance: a capacity to sit with the unknown, regulate your response to it, and keep moving forward even when positive outcomes aren’t guaranteed. 

In times you feel especially overwhelmed, pause. Take a deep breath. Notice something small and concrete around you: the feeling of your feet on the floor, the sound in the room, the gentle sway of the trees outside. You can’t control everything, but you aren’t totally powerless.

Below are 10 steps to help you recognize and prioritize what is within your control, no matter how small it may seem. These repeatable actions can stop your fight or flight response in its tracks and restore a sense of agency.

Read more: 4 Signs You’re Overthinking at Work & How to Break the Cycle

10 steps for recognizing what’s in your control

1. Name your fears before trying to manage them

Write down your specific worries taking up the most mental space. Instead of broad fears like “the economy” or “my career,” try naming the fear underneath:

• “I’m afraid I won’t find stable work in the next year.”

• “I’m worried layoffs will affect my team or role.”

• “I’m scared I won’t be able to afford rent if prices keep rising.”

• “I’m worried I’ll fall behind professionally while trying to stay afloat.”

If it helps, complete this sentence a few times: “What I’m most afraid of right now is…” Seeing your fears clearly makes them easier to handle.

2. Separate what you’re telling yourself from what's actually happening 

Most of the time, anxious thoughts aren’t reality. Write down a stressful situation and underline only what you know for sure, then circle the assumptions, predictions, or worst-case scenarios you’re adding on top. Ask yourself, What do I know for sure, and what am I assuming? 

Say you just checked your bank account and it’s lower than expected. Here’s how you would question your assumptions:

The fact is your account balance is low, and you have upcoming bills. The assumption is a low balance means financial disaster is imminent. Remind yourself: Numbers are facts. My worries are stories I can respond to, not predictions I have to obey.

3. Do a “control inventory” 

Open up a blank Google Doc or notebook and divide one page into three columns: what I can control, what I can influence, and what I can’t control. Your task is to place each worry where it belongs. Say you’re anxious about navigating the current job market. Here’s what you’d write:

If a worry lands in the third column, pause before acting. Energy spent there often increases anxiety without changing the outcome, so direct your focus back to the first column.

4. Ground your body with a 60-second interoceptive check-in

When you’re anxious, your nervous system often goes into threat mode even before your thoughts do. Interoceptive awareness training helps you learn to listen to what your body is telling you before your mind spins out. 

If you find yourself reacting to stressful news, emails, or conversations, pause and notice what’s happening inside your body:

• Where do you feel tension?

• How is your breathing—shallow, steady, or held?

• Is your jaw clenched? Shoulders lifted?

• What sensation stands out most?

Label sensations like “warm,” “tight,” “heavy,” or “fluttery” to help you track physical cues tied to anxiety. 

5. Shrink your time horizon

It’s easy to spiral over “what could happen” months or years from now. Instead of thinking that far ahead, focus on the immediate next step you can take. Shortening the time frame makes problem-solving feel manageable:

• Instead of asking, “What will happen to me if the economy collapses?” ask yourself: “What action can I take this week to protect my finances or career?”

• Replace thoughts like “I’ll never get a promotion in this market” with: “What’s one thing I can do this week to grow my skills or visibility at work?”

6. Choose one daily action that reinforces agency

Pick one action that reminds you you’re not powerless, and do it every day for one week:

• Apply to one job or send one networking message

• Learn one small skill (watch a short tutorial, read one article)

• Make coffee or lunch at home to save $5–$10

• Transfer a small amount to savings 

7. Limit your exposure to information that spikes anxiety

If the news or social media amplify your anxiety and fear, remember you’re in control of determining the appropriate level of stimulation and exposure that’s right for you. “For example, some people find that reducing visuals and only reading the printed news helps reduce stress responses,” says clinical mental health counselor Dr. Kendra Surmitis. “Or, if you notice your muscles tense when you open your news app in the morning, wait to introduce an additional stressor until later in the day after you've demonstrated some mastery over your own personal, family, and work-related responsibilities.”

Read more: Compartmentalizing in 2025 Is Possible. Here Are 5 Ways to Work Through (Mostly) Anything

8. Reclaim what you can control in your environment

Order in small spaces can create calm in bigger, more uncertain ones. Take charge of your immediate domain—tidy one surface, take your dog for a walk, water your plants, prep a meal, unload the dishwasher, or fold a load of laundry. 

9. Practice “both/and” thinking

Although life is rarely all good or all bad, humans crave black-and-white, either/or thinking. Both/and thinking is the practice of holding multiple truths at the same time, allowing room for conflicting emotions: concern and hope, fear and resilience, uncertainty and competence. 

Tell yourself you can feel scared and competent at the same time: “I’m anxious about job security, and I also know I’ve handled uncertainty before” or “I’m worried about money, and I can still take steps to improve my budget.”

10. End each day by naming what you handled

When you can’t control the chaos around you, focusing on your own responses is still meaningful progress. Before bed each night, write down one thing you responded to with intention. For example:

• I paused before replying to a stressful email instead of firing back immediately

• I stopped doomscrolling when I noticed my heart rate increasing

• I asked for clarification from my boss instead of assuming the worst

• I took a walk when I felt overwhelmed

• I logged off on time even though I felt behind

Read more: How to Emotionally Detach from Work (& Finally Get a Good Night of Sleep)