Let go of cool and control; laugh more and risk more (Brene Brown). Let go of control? Some people laugh and mention in conversation, “I don’t really know what I’m doing with my life, but it’s fine!..” but behind the jest is often the fear of loss of control. Do we ever obtain control? Do we ever “get our lives together”? As we become stable in life, we obtain the sense, the feeling, the delusion that we are in control and have gotten things together. We live with purpose and prepare well and make smart choices, and we should do those things. But complete control of our lives was never ours for the taking. Trying to be cool and accepted is trying to control someone’s opinion of us – and it is an emotional straight-jacket. Seeking control paralyzes us. I want to feel the freedom of risk and lack of control. I’ve never been in control of this life and never will be – and once I realize that reality, I become unparalyzed, free to risk and live the highs and lows, free of anxiety because I already know I am out of control and it’s good and I can expect the unexpected. I don’t know what is going to happen and this is a beautiful risk. I want to live prepared, to live purposefully, to live out of a loving heart toward myself and others, all the while knowing I am not in control of this crazy, beautiful, risky life. Stop trying to be cool, let go of control, laugh more often, and risk more boldly.