Accepting our powerlessness over other people doesn’t come without strong resistance, intense mental focus, near constant practice of letting go, and unyielding willingness to understand that other people simply can’t be controlled! Our disbelief about our powerlessness is evident everywhere — in our dysfunctional homes, among disgruntled employees, within the power structure of every government around the world. Every war ever fought is strong evidence that people everywhere continue to believe they have the power to control others. However, one side seldom wins. More commonly, the vanquished simply give up.
If having a peaceful life is our goal, then we must give up unpeaceful behaviors. Making the decision to free all of those people in our lives from our misguided attempts to control them is a great first step.
— Karen Casey, Change Your Mind and Your Life Will Follow, p. 64