Internal Control VS External Control

Personal Growth

Oct 14

Knowing What You Can and Can't Control While Trying To Manifest

In life, you often come across situations where things feel completely out of your hands. The unexpected happens, people react in ways you can’t predict, and external circumstances don’t always align with your desires.

It’s easy to feel overwhelmed when so much seems beyond your control. But the truth is, the only thing you ever truly have control over is how you choose to respond to the world around you. This is what’s referred to as internal control. Understanding the difference between internal control and external control is key to mastering your mindset, making lasting changes, and manifesting the life you desire.

IN TODAY’S GUIDE YOU’LL LEARN

Internal vs. external control
How internal suffering is often self-inflicted
What control you do have while going for the life you want

Internal vs External: Why This is Important to Know!

Let’s start by defining what internal and external control really mean. External control refers to the things outside of yourself—events, situations, and people’s behaviors that you cannot change. It’s the environment around you, societal norms, the weather, and the actions of others. These things are beyond your control, and NO matter how much you may want to change them, they will unfold as they are meant to. External control represents everything that happens outside of your inner world.

On the other hand, internal control refers to your reactions, thoughts, emotions, and mindset. These are entirely within your reach. While you may not be able to change the external world, you can absolutely change how you respond to it. It’s all about mastering your internal world and aligning your reactions with the person you want to become, rather than reacting based on your current or past conditioning.

Let us give you an example down below

Imagine a challenging day at work where you receive criticism from your coworker. The external situation is that you’ve been criticized—this part you can’t control. But how you respond is entirely up to you. You could let it ruin your day, or you could choose to take the feedback constructively, learn from it, and stay grounded in your self-worth.

Why Suffering Often Stems From Internal States, Not External Circumstances

It’s natural to think that the source of frustration or unhappiness is the world around you. It seems logical—when things go wrong in life, it must be because of something external, right? However, if you take a deeper look, you’ll see that it’s not always the situation itself that causes distress, but how you react to it. Your internal state can create suffering far more than external events.

Consider this: Two people can go through the same event, and one might feel stressed, anxious, or angry, while the other remains calm and collected. The difference lies in their internal world. The first person is allowing their thoughts and emotions to spiral based on the situation, while the second person is choosing how they respond, grounded in a sense of internal control.

When you let your emotions run unchecked, they can quickly cloud your judgment, leading to a cycle of negativity. The key to avoiding this trap is to focus on what you can control: your internal reactions. Once you master your internal state, external events will no longer have the same power over you.

“WHY AM I NOT SEEING ANY CHANGE DESPITE MY EFFORTS??”

How many of you constantly try to change your life, identity, and circumstances JUST for the universe to play in your face and not reflect those changes to you? Don't feel ashamed, it happens to all of us. When you begin your journey of self-improvement, it’s common to feel frustrated. You’ve set your intentions, and you’re putting in the work, but the external changes you’re hoping for might not show up as quickly as you’d like. This frustration comes from trying to change things externally when the real shift needs to happen within.

This process involves rewiring your brain and unlearning old conditioning and doesn’t happen overnight. This is because you’re essentially shifting from an old identity to a new one. The new identity—the version of you that has what you desire—requires you to align your internal state with that vision.

It’s crucial to remember that change starts from within. The more you focus on your internal world, the more you begin to vibrate at the frequency of what you want. And when your internal vibration matches your desires, the external world starts to reflect those changes. For this to be your default setting you need to remain consistent and optimistic in the process.

Avoiding the Ego Take Over

As you work to shift your internal state, it’s common for the ego to step in. And one thing about the ego is that it loves familiarity —it finds safety in what it knows. So, when you start changing, it may try to pull you back into old patterns with doubt, negativity, or a belief that you can’t truly change.

You may find yourself questioning, “Why hasn’t anything changed yet? See, I’m not meant for more!” This is a common trick of the ego, trying to convince you that it’s safer to stay where you are, even if it’s not where you want to be. But the truth is, real change takes time. Just because you don’t see the results right away doesn’t mean you’re not making progress.

Tip!!: When you feel doubt creeping in, remind yourself that the only thing you can control is your internal state. If you stay committed to maintaining positive emotions and aligning with the frequency of what you want, external changes will follow in due time. Don’t let the temporary lack of visible change convince you that your efforts aren’t working, a lot of people give up on this part. Ask yourself “How bad do I really want to change?” And you will find that if you truly want it you'll be willing to remain consistent in the process.

Choose To Vibrate High Regardless of What the External World is Showing You

So, how do you actually go about shifting your internal state to match the vibration of your desires? The answer lies in your thoughts, emotions, and actions. Raising your internal vibration aligns you with the frequency of what you want to attract in life, like tuning into the right radio station. When your energy is positive and elevated, you naturally draw in experiences, opportunities, and people that match that higher frequency. It’s a powerful way to help manifest your dreams by shifting your internal state.

Here are a few ways you can take to raise your internal vibration:

1. Focus on Positive Emotions: The emotions you feel dictate your vibration. Focus on emotions like gratitude, joy, and excitement. When you align with these feelings, you naturally raise your vibration and begin to attract experiences that match those emotions.
Instead of feeling frustrated that your dreams haven’t manifested yet, focus on the excitement of the journey. Celebrate the small wins along the way, and trust that everything is unfolding in perfect timing. The universe knows more than you do, trust it! It's not that big for no reason!

2. Practice Visualization: Visualizing yourself already living the life you desire can shift your internal state. When you visualize, you tap into the emotions of having what you want, which helps you align with that reality.
If you’re manifesting a new job, close your eyes and visualize yourself in that role, feeling confident, successful, and fulfilled. The more vividly you can imagine it, the more your internal world starts to align with that reality.

3. Affirmations: Positive affirmations can help rewire your brain and shift your internal dialogue. Repeating affirmations that align with your desires reinforces new beliefs and helps you vibrate at a higher frequency.

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4. Release Resistance: Letting go of attachment to the outcome can be a powerful way to raise your vibration. When you’re overly focused on the external result, you create resistance. Instead, focus on feeling good in the present moment and trust that the universe is working in your favor.
Instead of constantly worrying about when your desires will manifest, shift your focus to enjoying the present moment. Trust that what you want is on its way.

Additional 10 ways to lift your vibration:

Practice gratitude/journaling daily.
Move your body through exercise or dance.
Meditate to clear your mind.
Spend time in nature to reconnect and ground yourself.
Surround yourself with positive people.
Listen to uplifting music.
Use positive affirmations to rewire your mindset.
Perform acts of kindness for others.
Visualize your ideal future regularly.
Declutter your space to create mental and physical clarity.

The Ultimate Test Ends With You!

Know that “the universe is in control of the external events in your life, so there's no need to worry about how, when, and where your desires will manifest” (The Magic of Manifesting Money, Ryuu Shinohara).

The journey to mastering your internal world and manifesting the life you desire isn’t always easy, but it’s worth it. Everyone who has successfully shifted their identity and created the life they want has gone through the same process. You’re not alone in facing the challenges of doubt, frustration, and the ego’s resistance to change.

Remember, the key to manifesting what you want is to focus on your internal state. As long as you are taking care of your internal world and choosing positive emotions, there’s no doubt that you’ll get where you want to be. The external world will naturally fall into place once you align yourself on the inside.

Roadblocks and challenges are part of the process, but don’t let them block you. In fact, they’re a sign that you’re on the right path. The more you commit to mastering your internal world, the more your external reality will reflect the life you’ve always dreamed of.

So keep going, trust the process, and remember: you are in control of your internal world. And as you master that, everything else will follow.

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