--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Life is messy. The only thing we can…" description: "\"“Life is messy. The only thing we can control is how we respond to what happens to us and move forward.”\" — Laurie Buchanan, PhD" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b70/laurie-buchanan-phd-32753_control_life-is-messy-the-only-thing-we-can-cont_2455738.jpg" --- # Life is messy. The only thing we can control is how we… ![“Life is messy. The only thing we can control is how we respond to what happens to us and move forward.” quote by Laurie Buchanan, PhD](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b70/laurie-buchanan-phd-32753_control_life-is-messy-the-only-thing-we-can-cont_2455738.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b70/laurie-buchanan-phd-32753_control_life-is-messy-the-only-thing-we-can-cont_2455738.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b70/laurie-buchanan-phd-32753_control_life-is-messy-the-only-thing-we-can-cont_2455738.jpg) > ““Life is messy. The only thing we can control is how we respond to what happens to us and move forward.”” [Laurie Buchanan, PhD](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-buchanan-phd/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Life is chaotic, but we can only control our reactions; moving forward requires intentional response to events. **In simple terms:** Control your response, not the chaos. Key Takeaway Focus on your reactions. Themes resilience control forward motion Mood calm empowering thoughtful Type advice philosophical When to use this quote - stress management - conflict resolution - personal growth - career setbacks Key Concepts psychology mindfulness agency Questions to Reflect On - How can you improve your response to stress? - What habits help you move forward? A Different Perspective External events still affect outcomes; control is limited. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Control](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/control/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Move forward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/move-forward/) ## Related quotes > [“If you would be less concerned with someone else's shine and focus on your grind, you would see the growth and progress that you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/germany-kent/if-you-would-be-less-concerned-with-someone-else-s-shine-and-focus-on/) [Germany Kent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/germany-kent/) > [At a certain point, you have to kind of realize that greatness is a messy thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-gray/at-a-certain-point-you-have-to-kind-of-realize-that-greatness-is-a/) [James Gray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-gray/) > [“Live, learn, grow, move forward. Do you. 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If you want to avoid uprisings, or demonstrations, you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mohamed-elbaradei/if-a-huge-number-of-people-call-for-change-the-government-will-have/) [Mohamed ElBaradei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mohamed-elbaradei/) > [Its not what happens that counts... It's how you react.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-lee/its-not-what-happens-that-counts-it-s-how-you-react/) [Bruce Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-lee/) > [“The wise respond; the otherwise react.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raheel-farooq/the-wise-respond-the-otherwise-react/) [Raheel Farooq](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raheel-farooq/) > [It's not the situation, but whether we react negative or respond positive to the situation that is important.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zig-ziglar/it-s-not-the-situation-but-whether-we-react-negative-or-respond/) [Zig Ziglar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zig-ziglar/) > [“It’s less about the things that happen and more about how you react to them.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-j-crane/it-s-less-about-the-things-that-happen-and-more-about-how-you-react/) [Robert J. Crane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-j-crane/) ## More by Laurie Buchanan, PhD > [“When life gives you juniper berries, make gin!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-buchanan-phd/when-life-gives-you-juniper-berries-make-gin/) [Laurie Buchanan, PhD](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-buchanan-phd/) > [“I don’t go with the flow, nor do I go against it. 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Live in the moment.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-buchanan-phd/your-time-is-now-live-in-the-moment/) [Laurie Buchanan, PhD](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-buchanan-phd/) > [“Each of us views life through a different lens. What we think is colored by the baggage we carry and what we perceive is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-buchanan-phd/each-of-us-views-life-through-a-different-lens-what-we-think-is/) [Laurie Buchanan, PhD](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-buchanan-phd/) > [“For business and personal relationships to flourish, we must engage with the people in our lives. Together is better. Together is how we win.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-buchanan-phd/for-business-and-personal-relationships-to-flourish-we-must-engage/) [Laurie Buchanan, PhD](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-buchanan-phd/) > [“Creativity is more than the capacity to be inventive or innovative; it’s more than the ability to create great works of art, music, or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-buchanan-phd/creativity-is-more-than-the-capacity-to-be-inventive-or-innovative-it/) [Laurie Buchanan, PhD](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-buchanan-phd/) > [“Don't go with the flow, or against it. Create your own.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-buchanan-phd/don-t-go-with-the-flow-or-against-it-create-your-own/) [Laurie Buchanan, PhD](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-buchanan-phd/) > [“Understanding your life purpose is vital to joy and dynamic participation in the world.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-buchanan-phd/understanding-your-life-purpose-is-vital-to-joy-and-dynamic/) [Laurie Buchanan, PhD](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-buchanan-phd/) > [“Any belief worth embracing should be able to stand up to scrutiny. 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I never let him get into his fight. I knew what I needed to do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mikey-garcia/i-thought-i-fought-a-really-good-orlando-salido-i-never-let-him-get/) [Mikey Garcia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mikey-garcia/) > [Don't think you can...know you can! You human body is the most impressive tool you'll ever own. Even if you can't control everything, you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-hardy/don-t-think-you-can-know-you-can-you-human-body-is-the-most/) [Jeff Hardy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-hardy/) > [If you have everything under control, you're not moving fast enough.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mario-andretti/if-you-have-everything-under-control-you-re-not-moving-fast-enough/) [Mario Andretti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mario-andretti/) > [“Without time management, you lose control of your life and do what other people tell you to do. You lose control and become a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-miller/without-time-management-you-lose-control-of-your-life-and-do-what/) Thomas Miller > [I started off as a model maker, so the first part of my career was a model maker and then a motion control camera…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-knoll/i-started-off-as-a-model-maker-so-the-first-part-of-my-career-was-a/) [John Knoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-knoll/) > [Many of us rely on our own illusion of control. But when God makes it known to you that you're not the one steering…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yasmin-mogahed/many-of-us-rely-on-our-own-illusion-of-control-but-when-god-makes-it/) [Yasmin Mogahed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yasmin-mogahed/) > [In Congress, Florida Republicans worked with the Trump administration to secure funding for coastal restoration projects following the devastating impacts of Hurricanes Irma and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-waltz/in-congress-florida-republicans-worked-with-the-trump-administration/) [Michael Waltz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-waltz/) > [“He who can destroy a thing has the real control of it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-herbert/he-who-can-destroy-a-thing-has-the-real-control-of-it/) [Frank Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-herbert/) > [Sometimes you have to laugh to keep from crying or getting overly angry or to maintain control.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-haysbert/sometimes-you-have-to-laugh-to-keep-from-crying-or-getting-overly/) [Dennis Haysbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-haysbert/) > [My sister-in-law works for a group that supports orphanages in Cairo. She and her colleagues take care of children left behind by circumstances beyond…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mohamed-elbaradei/my-sister-in-law-works-for-a-group-that-supports-orphanages-in-cairo/) [Mohamed ElBaradei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mohamed-elbaradei/) > [Some nights I'm funny with the between-song commentary, some nights I'm not. I have no control over this. I pace the stage a lot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-berman/some-nights-i-m-funny-with-the-between-song-commentary-some-nights-i/) [David Berman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-berman/) > [“Control never be a means to any practical end. It can never be a means to anything but more control… Like punk.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-s-burroughs/control-never-be-a-means-to-any-practical-end-it-can-never-be-a-means/) [William S. Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-s-burroughs/) [Browse all 6,032 Control quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/control/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Life is messy. 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