Note: This article is paraphrased ...
removing words and phrases that are either unnecessary or redundant.
What happened is past. Your reaction to the past is your present. And the results of your present actions will create your future. Success, happiness, joy, and fulfillment is dependent on your present actions. Therefore, the solutionto life [1] is tied to your present actions. At this very moment, you can consciously decide how you will act, instead of reacting. Observe, analyze, and then act, instead of reacting based on your programmed emotional response.
Consider this for a moment ... when someone ‘pushes your buttons’, you immediately react based on how their words affect you. But that reaction is caused by your reactive state of mind [2]. Just imagine what would happen if your state of mind allows you to observe the thoughts and then decide how you want to consciously act. This is the difference between reacting to (your situation) and consciously deciding before you act. When you react, you are not in control. The situation dictates how you feel and what you do. However, you can change that. You can take back control of your emotions and your relationships. By consciously acting, you become the decision maker. In addition, you should know that you are the only one that can do that. You are the only one that can change yourself. Even after reading books or listening to wonderful speeches, it is still up to you to react as programmed by your emotions or to act consciously by using your intellect.
There is a moment, a small opportunity after the words you hear hit you, before you react. In that moment of opportunity, you can stop your programmed reaction by simply observing what happens in your mind. Then, deliberately act. If you can observe what you hear, see, smell, taste, or touch while the experience is occurring, you are in the perfect position to change your programmed reactions. You can get there by observing first and then acting. This skill is developed by a special meditation [3] technique!
I know this is not an easy task, especially since it involves trying to change years of ingrained behavior. But just imagine the positive effects it will have on your life. Just imagine the benefits you will gain! For example, you will not get angry every time someone ‘pushes your buttons’. You will instead be cool, calm, and collected. You won't say something that you will regret, nor will you do something you'll be sorry for. You will always be in a better mood, and you will be able to meet the challenges of life from a position of strength and calmness, instead of weakness and agitation. You will be able to see situations from a wider perspective and will find it easier to come to solutions instead of giving up in frustration, or worse, reacting improperly and magnifying the situation. If you are able to control your reactions by managing your thoughts, your stress will be reduced, you will have a smile on your face more often, and you will be in a position of power rather than weakness. - Author: Sri Rajaji *
Note: My next post will address this article.
* Sri Rajaji is a philosopher, meditation teacher, motivational speaker, and life coach.
[1] “The answer to a problem or the explanation for something” (American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing.) ---- “This is life; you face problems every day no matter how perfect you think you and your life are. Problems are there and they aren’t going anywhere unless you face them and solve them.” - https://theinternationalpsychologyclinic.com/the-10-most-common-life-problems-and-how-to-deal-with-them/
[2] “The reactive state of mind is one of immediate reaction, where a person comes up with a response without deliberation or rational thought.” - https://www.wellbeingways.blog/post/the-reactive-state-of-mind-can-we-handle-it-better
[3] “The act of meditating; contemplation; reflection.” (American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing.)
Reposted by Richard Keller, Bread of Life Ministries.
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