Reaction Action

Life isn't always about how we act but also about how we react to things.  I find myself not engaging with people as quickly as I used to because I am thinking to myself if their comments or actions actually require or deserve a reaction or a response.

It seems like a daunting task really - but actions and reactions go hand in hand. Our reactions are also actions that we take. 

When we choose to react to the person biting our head off or flicking us off on the road we are choosing to feed into their crazy. Avoiding the confrontation isn't wimpy it's smart. Some things are worth ignoring, thanks mom I finally figured THAT out! Not Reacting or reacting with silence is often a stronger response.

Reactions are our responses to things that affect us. They are and can be seen as a reflection of who we are and what we are feeling. Sometimes we let our reactions give a false picture of who we truly are and then spend time fretting about how we could have portrayed ourselves differently. I have found this is true when I am defensive in my response - this comes out especially if I am over tired.

Lately there has been much written about mindfulness. Choosing to respond rather than to react is an art that requires us to be mindful. The article below from Thin Difference seems to help put this in perspective.

http://www.thindifference.com/2013/03/07/a-mindful-difference-respond-vs-react/

Since I can't walk around and hand this out to every person who entices me to react in a way I wish I had not and until I successfully develop mindfulness I was thinking of printing a sign that I could flip out of my purse or pocket that simply says:

 "I am respectfully but deliberately 

choosing not to react or respond to you."

Of course sometimes I really wish I could hand them a sign that says something completely different...but that sign I will keep in my mind.

Respectfully,
Magda