Reacting Is Not the Same as Responding

A reaction is instant and automatic — it comes from the oldest, fastest part of your brain. A response is what happens when you let the first impulse pass through you without acting on it. The difference between the two is usually about three seconds, and those three seconds can save a relationship, a career, or just your afternoon.

This doesn't mean suppressing what you feel. It means creating a gap — a breath, a pause, a moment where you ask yourself "What do I actually want to happen here?" The feeling will still be there after the pause. But your choices will be yours instead of your adrenaline's.