How many times have you been walking out the door and spilled something on yourself? How did you handle it? Did you react or respond? I think it depends a lot on how the day’s already gone.

This morning, for example, I’m two steps from the top of the steps, carrying my coffee cup with about an inch of coffee left in it when I forgot that it’s important to actually lift your foot OVER the step, not INTO it and proceeded to trip up the steps, complete with coffee all over my shirt, glasses, hair and shoes (somehow it missed my pants.)

Just picture it…

Let’s say I had a bad morning prior to that happening… How do you think I would have reacted? (hint: I would have REACTED with a few choice words)

Flip the situation around and let’s say I had a great morning already… Don’t you think I would have RESPONDED instead of REACTING?

There is a HUGE difference…

I’ve been known to react on many occasions… And you know what? I always regret it.

I do so much better when I respond. I feel better. My day goes better.

Have you ever noticed when something goes wrong that you are compelled to relive it by telling the story over and over? It just makes it worse. It’s like the negativity takes on a life of its own. It’s as if that negativity you’ve embraced with the reaction to the situation is feeding off of itself and drawing in more bad stuff to join it in all its dark and dismal glory.

And who wants that?

It’s up to each of us to make the conscious decision whether to react or respond to the challenges presented to us in our everyday lives. Sometimes it’s easy… Sometimes not. I won’t claim to know all the answers or that I do everything right… Actually, it’s much to the contrary.

I sometimes do things the hard way.

I sometimes do the wrong thing.

I sometimes keep doing the same thing over and over and hoping the results are better this time (isn’t that the definition of insanity???)

I fly off the handle much to easily from time to time.

I host my own pity party now and then.

But I strive for more…

I want to learn from my mistakes.

I look for the bright side in every situation.

I search for the gift in every challenge…and have learned to accept that gift once I uncover it.

And yet I’m still in the beginning stages of my enlightenment…

But then again… Aren’t we all?

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