What if one of the greatest gifts we can give ourselves—and the people we love—is the willingness to leave room for a different ending?

Inspired by my conversation with Wani Iris Manly in Episode 303, this Sound Bite explores the quiet shift from trying to control outcomes to practicing compassionate curiosity.

We all do it.

We worry about someone we love.

We imagine the worst.

We convince ourselves we know how the story will end.

But do we?

In this reflection, I share why some of the biggest turning points in my own life—from moving across the country to beginning this unexpected chapter after retirement—could never have been predicted.

And that's made me wonder...

How often do we assume we know someone else's ending, too?

In this Sound Bite, we'll explore:

Why control often begins with love, fear, or the desire to protect
The difference between thoughtful planning and trying to control the outcome
Why trust grows from experience—and what we do when there isn't enough evidence
How compassionate curiosity creates space for growth, surprise, and possibility
Why we may not know the ending as well as we think we do

Inspired by Episode 303

One thought stayed with me long after recording:

Control assumes we know the ending.
Compassionate curiosity leaves room for a different ending.

Perhaps the invitation isn't to care less.

Perhaps it's simply to stay curious enough to be surprised.

Let Life Surprise You: What Happens When You Stop Controlling Everything

Reflection Questions

In my conversation with Wani Iris Manly, we explored change, trust, identity, and what happens when we leave room for life to surprise us.

If you haven't listened yet, I invite you to begin there and then return to this reflection.

Where in your life might compassionate curiosity serve you better than certainty?

Is there someone—or even yourself—for whom you could leave room for a different ending?

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One final thought

If this reflection resonated with you, please subscribe, leave a review, and share it with someone who might need a reminder that not every story unfolds the way we expect.

Sometimes the most meaningful chapters begin when we stop assuming we know the ending...

...and leave room for a different one.