Beyond Reacting
We have all had the experience of reacting in a way that was
less than ideal upon hearing bad news, or being unfairly criticized, or being
told something we did not want to hear. This makes sense because when our
emotions are triggered, they tend to take center stage, inhibiting our ability
to pause before we speak. We may feel compelled to release the tension by
expressing ourselves in some way, whether it’s yelling back at the person
yelling at us, or rushing to deliver words of comfort to a friend in trouble.
However, there is much to be said for teaching ourselves to remember to pause
and take a deep breath before we respond to the shocks and insults that can come
our way in life.
For one thing, our initial response is not always
what’s best for us, or for the other people involved. Reacting to childish rage
with childish rage will only escalate the negativity in a situation, further
ensnaring us in an undesirable dynamic. Similarly, when we react defensively, or
simply thoughtlessly, we often end up feeling regret over our words or actions.
In the end, we save ourselves a lot of pain when we take a deep breath and
really tune in to ourselves, and the other person, before we respond. This
doesn’t necessarily mean we don’t say anything, although in some cases, that may
be the best option.
Some situations require a fairly immediate response,
but even just a moment of grounding ourselves before we do so can help
enormously. The next time you find yourself wanting to react, try to pause, and
in that pause, take a deep breath. Feel your feet on the floor, the air on your
skin, and listen for a response to arise within you, rather than just going with
the first thing that pops into your head. You may find that in that moment,
there is the potential to move beyond reaction and into the more subtle and
creative realm of response, where something new can happen.
This is from a web site call Daily Om http://www.dailyom.com/
I think it speaks for itself.
I'll discuss Bamboo Clothing in my next post something we are really excited about.
Bryan
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