TAM+ Episode 51: Breaking Free: Understanding Your True Sphere of Control
The Addicted Mind Podcast
Duane Osterlind, LMFT
4.8 • 621 Ratings
🗓️ 9 January 2025
⏱️ 16 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
Ever lie awake at night, desperately trying to force yourself to sleep, only to find yourself more awake than ever? This common experience reveals a fascinating paradox about control in our lives. In this transformative episode, hosts Duane and Eric Osterlind explore why our attempts to control certain aspects of life often backfire, leading to increased anxiety and stress. Through compelling research and practical insights, they reveal how understanding the difference between what we can and cannot control becomes a gateway to peace and personal power.
Learn why accepting what we cannot control paradoxically leads to better outcomes and discover practical strategies for channeling your energy where it truly matters. This episode offers a refreshing perspective on personal control that can revolutionize your approach to relationships, recovery, and daily challenges.
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Key Topics:
• The paradox of control and its impact on mental well-being
• Understanding the three spheres of control: direct control, influence, and no control
• The science behind acceptance-based approaches to personal growth
• Practical strategies for redirecting energy toward what you can control
• The relationship between radical acceptance and emotional freedom
• How to develop wisdom in letting go without resignation
Key Timestamps:
[00:01:10] Introduction to the struggle with control
[00:04:11] Research study on sleep and thought suppression
[00:08:00] Explanation of the three spheres of control
[00:10:53] Identifying where you're spending energy unnecessarily
[00:12:21] Understanding radical acceptance
[00:13:44] Navigating the challenges of letting go
[00:14:18] Community resources and next steps
Episode Credits
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Supporting Resources:
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Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | Welcome to the Addicted Mind Plus, the podcast where recovery, mental health, and wellness take the front seat. |
| 0:07.3 | I'm Dwayne Austerland, and joining me is my co-host, Eric Osterland, known for his insightful work on the Stuck Brain podcast. |
| 0:14.3 | In each episode, we'll dive into actionable, small steps to help those in recovery journey further along the path to wellness. |
| 0:22.3 | Our conversations are designed to be concise, typically around 15 minutes, though we may |
| 0:27.0 | occasionally delve deeper when the topic demands it. Our goal to provide you with practical |
| 0:32.0 | advice grounded in real experiences and expert insights to empower your recovery journey. |
| 0:38.7 | So whether you're on a break, on a walk, or just taking a moment for yourself, |
| 0:42.3 | join us as we explore the many facets of recovery and mental health, |
| 0:46.4 | one small step at a time. |
| 0:48.4 | This is The Addicted Mind Plus, where your journey to wellness gets an extra boost. |
| 0:53.2 | So let's get started. |
| 0:55.1 | All right, everyone. Welcome to another gets an extra boost. So let's get started. All right, everyone, |
| 1:01.9 | welcome to another episode of The Addicted Mind. Plus, I'm your host, Dwayne Austerlund, and I'm here with my co-host, Eric Osterland, and I'm really glad to be here today. I'm excited about this |
| 1:08.7 | episode. This is a good one. Yeah, me too. |
| 1:11.5 | Today, we're talking about something that I think affects every single one of us. |
| 1:17.3 | And that's the struggle with control. |
| 1:20.9 | Imagine this, lying awake at night trying desperately to force yourself to fall asleep, |
| 1:27.2 | only to find that the harder you try, |
| 1:30.0 | the more awake you become. |
| 1:32.3 | I think all of us have been there. |
| 1:34.5 | Absolutely. |
| 1:35.6 | Or maybe you spent countless hours trying to control how others perceive you or your partner's |
... |
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