Do your emotional reactions make things worse? Do you wear your heart on your sleeve? Do you overthink? Are you a chronic crier? Do you keep your emotions bottled up or are you always ready to explode? Does an argument with your partner leave you feeling devastated?
A lot of our lives are spent reacting to others and to the events around us.
Often, we react without thinking. Reacting tends to be defensive and guttural. It is often based on fears and insecurities. When we let our emotions drive us, our reaction is irrational and often results in losing control. Reactions are not always the best course of action.
Responding, on the other hand, is more thoughtful. Responding contains reasoning. It is deciding the best course of action based on values such as purpose, compassion, cooperation and so forth. Responding is guided less by emotion and more by logic.
What if you stop overreacting to others or hiding how you feel and allow your emotions to work in conjunction with the other qualities that you possess? By focusing on what you can control, you are empowering yourself. By dwelling on things you can’t control, you disempower yourself and make yourself more frustrated and more stressed.
Imagine if you learn to take a moment to consider what just happened instead of instantly reacting. You can learn to express your feelings in more appropriate ways. Calming yourself when you are feeling upset and judging yourself less negatively with a more self-accepting attitude produces better reactions and responses.
Let’s get started.
Carrie
