Control the Controllable: Personal Excellence When the World is Chaos
- jennysmithmattfeldt
- Sep 11
- 2 min read
By Jenny Smith Mattfeldt | Published September 11, 2025
The world feels so incredibly heavy right now. Regardless of your political views, it’s hard to ignore the fact that there are things happening that feel deeply evil and completely out of our control. And that part is true—there’s so much we can’t change.
But here’s what you can change: yourself. Your decisions. Your reactions. The way you show up in your personal excellence.
Moments like this will test you and shape you. Your only job is to take ownership of what’s in your control and do it well.
What You Can Control Today
01 How you treat your body
Drink your water. Eat real food. Don’t let chaos be an excuse to treat yourself like garbage.
02 Movement
Hit your workout, even if it’s just a walk. Strong body, strong mind.
03 Your environment
Get outside. Fresh air clears your head and reminds you the world is bigger than the noise.
04 Your reactions
You can’t control what people throw at you, but you can control how you respond. Stay mature, stay collected.
05 How you treat others
Speak with respect. Kindness and composure are a power move.
06 Your habits
Stick to your daily non-negotiables. Discipline creates stability when the world feels unstable.
07 What you consume
Protect your headspace. Limit doomscrolling. Choose inputs that build you up, not drain you.
08 Your effort
Half-assing it is a choice. Excellence is also a choice. Every task today, no matter how small, is a chance to show up fully.
09 Your mindset
Problems are guaranteed. Whether you approach them as a victim or as someone who’s capable is up to you.
10 The standard you hold yourself to
No one else sets that bar for you. You do.
I know it’s heavy. I know things are crazy. I know it feels like what could you even do?
It starts with you. Personal excellence is a choice. It's all a ripple effect. The culture and values in your community, your home, your head, they start with you and your decisions. So make them good ones.
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