What Direction Do Your Responses Take You?

How you respond to undesirable events and situations in your life will greatly influence the direction that it takes.

The Oxford Dictionary defines response as a ‘feeling, movement or change caused by a stimulus or influence’.

So, how is your life feeling, moving or being changed by stimulus or influences? What direction are your responses taking you?

Your responses to events in your life are critical in shaping your future.

Many times in life we encounter situations that we have little or no control over. However, one thing that we do have total control over is our response to these situations.

It is important to realise that you do have a choice as to how you respond. How you choose to respond is totally up to you. You can choose to respond in a way that serves you or hurts you.

The fact that you can choose your response allows you to take charge and stay in control. Isn’t that great to know? No longer do you have to feel that you have no control. You do!!

When you encounter unwanted events in your life respond to them in a way that allows you to move forward in a positive direction. Don’t allow them to effect you negatively. Easier said than done I hear a lot of you saying. I agree that it may at first not be so easy to do, as we are creatures of habits and our responses tend to be habitual. We have learned how to respond to situations by examples that have been shown to us. For many of us the examples that we have been exposed to have not been helpful. We may have been shown for example that anger, frustration, panic, worry, fear, anxiety, stressing or searching for sympathy are the ways to respond. These types of responses can and do make situations worse in our life.

I am suggesting that from now on you consciously start forming a habit where you respond in a controlled and positive way to events in your life. Be calm when things happen to you. Take some deep breathes. Don’t let your emotions get the better of you. Know that you can handle the situation. Be strong. Tell yourself that you are in control. Look for positive learning. Put things into perspective. Focus on solutions. Ask for help if you need it.

None of us are immune from having situations or events in our life that are undesirable. That is a fact. We are all subject to them at some stage in our life. The important question you need to answer is how are you going to respond when they happen? Remember you have a choice. Make the right choice that gives you the best quality of life and happiness possible.

Author: Steve Decker – Life Management & Success Coach