Adjusting the Sails
16/02/2025
There’s a grand stretch in the evenings now, and with that bit of extra light, I found myself thinking about a quote I came across recently:
“I can't control the wind, but I can adjust the sail.” – Ricky Skaggs
I’ve never been much of a sailor, but I know enough to realise that if you try to fight the wind, you’ll wreck yourself in the effort. It doesn’t matter how determined you are. It doesn’t bend just because you’d like it to. The wind does what it does, and if you insist on pushing against it, you’ll only find yourself exhausted, frustrated, and going nowhere fast.
Life has a funny way of being exactly like that. There are things that happen to us, around us, and despite us, and no amount of trying, worrying, or wishing can change them. Some days, it’s just a small breeze, a bit of hassle, nothing major. Other days, it’s a full-on storm, knocking you sideways and leaving you wondering what hit you. And in those moments, the temptation is to dig in, brace yourself, and push through.
But here’s the thing – fighting the wind doesn’t work. What does work is adjusting the sails.
When Life Blows a Gale
We all know what it feels like when life doesn’t go according to plan. You’re plodding along nicely, and then, out of nowhere, something shifts. Stress builds up. Anxiety kicks in. Something goes wrong that you hadn’t factored into your already overloaded head. Maybe it’s work pressures, relationship struggles, a health scare, or just that general feeling of being overwhelmed.
The first instinct might be to fight it. To resist. To double down and try to control the uncontrollable. And fair enough – that’s a very human reaction. None of us like feeling helpless or out of control. We convince ourselves that if we just try hard enough, we can force things back into place. If we worry, plan, and stress enough, surely, we can bend life to our will.
But life doesn’t work like that.
Trying to control things outside your power is like trying to push back the tide with your bare hands. It’s wasted energy. It drains you. And worse, it distracts you from the one thing you can control – how you respond.
Adjusting the Sails – What Does That Even Mean?
So, if we can’t control the wind, what can we do? We adjust the sails. We make small, intentional changes that allow us to move forward, even when things aren’t going the way we’d hoped.
Maybe work stress is piling up, and no matter what you do, it keeps coming. You can’t magic away the deadlines, but you can set clearer boundaries, step away from the desk when you need a break, or remind yourself that you’re not defined by your productivity.
Maybe anxiety is creeping in, whispering worst-case scenarios in your ear. You mightn’t be able to switch it off completely, but you can slow down, notice what’s happening in your body, and remind yourself that thoughts are just thoughts – not facts.
Maybe a relationship feels strained, and no matter how much you try, things aren’t changing. You might not be able to control how someone else acts, but you can adjust how you communicate, how much energy you give to the situation, and where you draw the line.
Adjusting the sails isn’t about massive, dramatic changes. It’s about the small, steady shifts that help you stay afloat, no matter what’s going on around you.
The Power of Small Adjustments
Many people assume that to change their lives, they need to overhaul everything in one go. But the reality is that the small adjustments—the everyday choices—make the biggest difference.
- It’s choosing to rest instead of pushing through exhaustion.
- It’s noticing a negative thought before it spirals into a full-blown narrative.
- It takes five minutes to breathe, even when your mind tells you you don’t have time.
- It’s reaching out to someone instead of bottling things up.
- It’s reminding yourself that just because today is rough doesn’t mean every day will be.
These small things might not seem like much in the moment, but they add up. They keep you steady. They stop you from being thrown completely off course.
And the best part? You don’t have to get it perfect. You don’t need to know exactly what you’re doing. You just need to keep adjusting, keep moving, and trust that even if you don’t feel like it now, you are steering yourself in the right direction.
What’s One Small Adjustment You Can Make Today?
So, here’s the question: if you take a step back and look at where the wind is blowing in your life right now, what’s one minor adjustment you could make to steady yourself a bit?
It doesn’t have to be big. It doesn’t have to be dramatic. It just has to be something that helps you shift, even slightly, in a direction that serves you better.
You might be unable to change the wind, but you can always adjust the sails.
#AhSureLookIt #MentalHealth #Resilience #GoEasyOnYourself