Control Center Worksheet
Control Center
Navigating the things I can and cannot change
PILOT:
DATE:
Mission Briefing
Sometimes life feels like a giant storm. We can't control the wind or the rain, but we can control how we sail our ship. When we focus on things we can control, we feel calmer and more powerful.
The Storm (Outside My Control)
The Command Center
INSIDE MY CONTROL
My words, my actions, my effort, how I treat others.
Other people's words
The weather
Traffic or delays
Past mistakes
What others think
The news
Command Check
Read each scenario below. Write "IN" if it's inside your control, and "OUT" if it's outside your control.
How much effort I put into my work
If my friends are in a bad mood
When I choose to go to sleep
What someone says about me
How I react when I'm angry
The rules at school or home
Pilot's Reflection
1. Think about a situation that made you feel stressed or frustrated recently. What was it?
2. In that situation, what parts were OUTSIDE your control? (e.g., people's actions, the timing)
3. In that same situation, what parts were INSIDE your control? (e.g., your words, your reaction)
Steering My Ship
Next time I feel overwhelmed by things I can't control, I will focus on these two things I CAN control:
Strategy 01
Strategy 02
Control Center Answer Key
Control Center
Teacher Reference & Answer Key
ANSWER KEY
Facilitation Tips
- The Goal: Help students realize that while they can't control external events, they have 100% control over their reaction.
- Discussion: Ask students how it feels when they try to control "the storm" (frustrating, exhausting) vs. their own "command center" (empowering, calm).
Section 1: Command Check
IN
How much effort I put into my work
OUT
If my friends are in a bad mood
IN
When I choose to go to sleep
OUT
What someone says about me
IN
How I react when I'm angry
OUT
The rules at school or home
Section 2: Pilot's Reflection
Note: These answers will vary by student. Look for the ability to distinguish between personal agency and external circumstances.
What was the situation?
Example: "I got a bad grade on a math test because I didn't understand the last three questions."
What parts were OUTSIDE your control?
The difficulty of the questions, the teacher's grading scale, the loud noise in the hallway during the test.
What parts were INSIDE your control?
Whether I asked for help before the test, how much I studied, how I managed my time during the test, my decision to check my work.
Common Control Strategies
Box Breathing: Slowing down the physical reaction to stress.
Positive Self-Talk: Choosing the words used in our internal dialogue.
Asking for Help: Taking action to change the current situation.
Walk Away: Controlling physical presence in a heated moment.
