Working on both our external locus of control and our internal locus of control to reduce stress

As Family Doctors, we often see folks whose lives are not in line with their values and expectations.

The bigger the gap, the bigger the stress it seems.

To close the gap, we only have 3 options.

1. We can try and create a life that is congruent with our values and expectations. It’s about making changes to the outside world i.e. the external locus of control OR

2. We can try to defuse/detach, and change our values and expectations to be in line with our life. This is more about changing our internal world and how we perceive things i.e. the internal locus of control OR

3 We can work on both of course. This will give us best chance of “closing the gap”. 

There’s actually a 4th option, and it’s not about closing the gap. It’s more about accepting the gap. 

Whichever way, the first step is have clarity around what those values and expectations actually are.

So the real question is, do we have clarity around those?