We choose how we react
We can’t control so many things. The only thing we can control is ourselves.
When emotions are high, it’s easy to react in negative ways. We snap at a partner or open up a bag of cookies with no intention of leaving some for tomorrow.
These actions may feel good in the moment, but they do not serve us in the long run. We then have to atone or risk losing trust from others and ourselves. We really notice when we have to buy larger clothes to compensate for our negative expansion.
Instead, we can choose to pause and react in a positive way, even to negative stimulus.
Allow yourself to sit in a moment of discomfort. Let that impulse response pass and consider a healthy way to respond to a situation.
Stand or sit in a comfortable position. Raise your arms above your head with your palms facing each other. Take a deep breath in. Relax your shoulder blades and breath again. This is Mountain Pose. These breaths align your body and mind allowing you time to think.
We may not be able to stop bad things from happening, but we can control how we respond to them. Mindfulness allows us to accept what is and navigate our next steps through conscious choice, not impulsive reaction.