--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We can't control the world, but we can…" description: "\"We can't control the world, but we can control our reactions to it.\" — Susan Jeffers" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e8f/susan-jeffers-6863_inspirational_we-can-t-control-the-world-but-we-can-co_1828509.jpg" --- # We can't control the world, but we can control our… ![“We can't control the world, but we can control our reactions to it.” quote by Susan Jeffers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e8f/susan-jeffers-6863_inspirational_we-can-t-control-the-world-but-we-can-co_1828509.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e8f/susan-jeffers-6863_inspirational_we-can-t-control-the-world-but-we-can-co_1828509.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e8f/susan-jeffers-6863_inspirational_we-can-t-control-the-world-but-we-can-co_1828509.jpg) > “We can't control the world, but we can control our reactions to it.” [Susan Jeffers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-jeffers/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. We cannot dictate external events, but we can choose how we respond, shaping our emotional experience. **In simple terms:** We control reactions, not the world. Key Takeaway Focus on managing responses. Themes self‑control emotional intelligence resilience Mood reflective empowering Type advice motivational When to use this quote - stressful workday - personal conflict - unexpected news - health diagnosis Key Concepts cognitive reframing mindfulness Questions to Reflect On - How do you decide which reactions serve you? - What habits help you stay calm? A Different Perspective Reactions may be constrained by internal biases. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Control](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/control/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [“You have little control over the world around you, but full control over the world within you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matshona-dhliwayo/you-have-little-control-over-the-world-around-you-but-full-control/) [Matshona Dhliwayo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matshona-dhliwayo/) > [You can't control the world, but when you control your thoughts, you bring order.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-siegel/you-can-t-control-the-world-but-when-you-control-your-thoughts-you/) [Bernie Siegel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-siegel/) > [“Please, Damien. You can’t control the world? So what? 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We can gather them every day of our lives.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-jeffers/we-don-t-have-to-wait-until-we-are-old-to-gather-the-riches-we-can/) [Susan Jeffers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-jeffers/) > [“I will handle it”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-jeffers/i-will-handle-it/) [Susan Jeffers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-jeffers/) > [We all create expectations of what we would like to happen after a decision is made. The picture in our mind's eye might have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-jeffers/we-all-create-expectations-of-what-we-would-like-to-happen-after-a/) [Susan Jeffers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-jeffers/) > [Every time you encounter something that forces you to “handle it,” your self-esteem is raised considerably. 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It makes sense to go to the source.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-jeffers/the-source-of-our-love-comes-from-within-no-one-out-there-is-that/) [Susan Jeffers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-jeffers/) > [Commitment doesn't mean that it has to last forever, but while you are there, commit yourself 100%. By doing this, the quality of your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-jeffers/commitment-doesn-t-mean-that-it-has-to-last-forever-but-while-you-are/) [Susan Jeffers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-jeffers/) > [Security isn't having things, it's handling things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-jeffers/security-isn-t-having-things-it-s-handling-things/) [Susan Jeffers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-jeffers/) [Explore all 97 Susan Jeffers quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-jeffers/) ## More Control quotes > [We have to get control of our borders.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-coffman/we-have-to-get-control-of-our-borders/) [Mike Coffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-coffman/) > [Grit and self-control are related, but they're not the same thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-duckworth/grit-and-self-control-are-related-but-they-re-not-the-same-thing/) [Angela Duckworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-duckworth/) > [“You can't control who loves you...you can't let someone love you anymore than you can make someone love you”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-harmon/you-can-t-control-who-loves-you-you-can-t-let-someone-love-you/) [Amy Harmon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-harmon/) > [I thought I fought a really good Orlando Salido. 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. 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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": "We can't control the world, but we can control our reactions to it.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Susan Jeffers" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-jeffers/we-can-t-control-the-world-but-we-can-control-our-reactions-to-it/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Control" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-jeffers/we-can-t-control-the-world-but-we-can-control-our-reactions-to-it/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e8f/susan-jeffers-6863_inspirational_we-can-t-control-the-world-but-we-can-co_1828509.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e8f/susan-jeffers-6863_inspirational_we-can-t-control-the-world-but-we-can-co_1828509.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e8f/susan-jeffers-6863_inspirational_we-can-t-control-the-world-but-we-can-co_1828509.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“We can't control the world, but we can control our reactions to it.” — Susan Jeffers", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Susan Jeffers", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-jeffers/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "We can't control the world, but...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-jeffers/we-can-t-control-the-world-but-we-can-control-our-reactions-to-it/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-jeffers/we-can-t-control-the-world-but-we-can-control-our-reactions-to-it/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```