“Stop. Breathe deeply. Close your eyes and breathe deeply again. Then, and only then, take actionﾑ from a peaceful heart.” — J. L. Huie
We all know what it’s like to have a knee-jerk reaction. One of our buttons gets pushed and we react without thinking, perhaps later regretting the burst of fiery temper, the harsh blurting. It may escalate an argument, make others uncomfortable, or create an unsafe place. “Think before you speak” is a childhood admonition that comes to mind.
What if we were better able to regulate our emotions and responses? What if we could be in the driver’s seat, able to react to the world around us with thoughtfulness, peace, kindness? What if we could lead with the heart, as opposed to the heat?
We can. We can take a breath. We can push the pause button. We can choose to react from the heartspace, challenging as this may be sometimes, and share the higher, evolved place within. Start with a breath.