Reacting Versus Responding

 

Puzzling OR even bewildering because in every situation, sometimes, we [wrongly] thought that it's all about a coin that needs to be flipped.  BUT supposedly, this is a non-discussion BUT the thing is, sometimes the other side of the coin has two more sides, that is, REACTING versus RESPONDING.  Yes, frankly, there is a huge whale of difference between either REACTING OR RESPONDING💥💥💥

I've been into a bind a zillion times WHEREIN in the aftermath, I would blurt out LIKE WHEN I look back on my knee-jerk reactions, many times I realized that Is should have just taken a breath.  The irony here is that many of us tend to have a mix-up of REACTING versus RESPONDING, [wrongly] thinking that it's one and the same, synonymously.  BUT they are NOT.  In fact, they're poles apart💚💛💜

WHEN we say OR do something 'WITHOUT THINKING', that's our unconscious mind running the show, driven either by the beliefs, biases OR prejudices.  YES, the harsh truth is that a REACTION is based 'in the moment' and it does NOT take into consideration the ramifications and/or consequences of WHAT we say OR do.  From a psychology perspective, REACTIONs are more survival-oriented and frankly at times, it reflects a level of defense mechanism.  It might turn out okay BYT often a REACTION is something you and me will regret later, that's something we can be sure of.  Been there, been burnt many times💥💥💥

And HOW about RESPONSEs.  Anyone who's excited may feel frustrated [and probably impatient] because RESPONSEs usually come and happen agonizingly slow.  NOT to point fingers here and there BUT WHO RESPONDs and NOT REACTs would exert effort + time to gather all the information both from our conscious and unconscious mind.  YES, RESPONSEs take into consideration the well-being NOT just of oneself✅✅✅

Our takeaway:  Allow me to share a real-life scenario WHERE a beggar approaches you out in the streets.  If you gave out money out of fear, embarrassment OR guilt, that is a REACTION  BUT if you gave that money from a solid sense of "I'm here to help my fellow man in whatever form", that is a RESPONSE.  YES dude, there is a world of difference between REACTING versus RESPONDING even in exactly the same life circumstances😡😡😡