Choosing our boundaries and priorities gives us more control of our lives. As a child, I had little choice about who my parents were or where I would live. But, as an adult, I have a wide range of choices about where I want to be, what activities I want to be in, and who I want to be with. Clarifying my boundaries and prioritizing my zones of influence helps me make decisions and helps me emotionally let go of less important areas. We cannot be all things to all people.
Personal worlds can vary dramatically.
Sometimes we fail to recognize how different various people's worlds can be, and how these differences can dramatically effect their thinking and behavior. Understanding people's personal worlds is necessary to understand the person and the issues they must deal with to be happy. The insights gained can help us create a happier personal world. Experiencing other people's worlds has been an interesting benefit of being a psychologist. From past chapters I hope it is clear that becoming too attached to any specific goal can lead to unnecessary anxiety and pain.