A colleague and friend recently inspired a conversation regarding "reacting versus responding." It became the theme at our practice for at least a week and seemed to resonate with many of our clients.

Reacting, it seems, is a more immediate and emotion-driven experience. We may not be bringing our best interest, or the best interest of those around us, to the table when we immediately react to those things that make us uncomfortable in some way.

This can be especially problematic in our technology-driven society; if we feel it (whether "it" is anger, frustration, or some other emotion), we can instantaneously express "it" to any number of people at the touch of a few buttons. But what would happen if we waited? What would happen if we were able to sit with our discomfort for a moment?

Being more mindful-- more aware of our own experience and of how we affect those around us-- can give us the pause we need to respond rather than react. The difference is that a response is more intentional, less emotion-driven, and usually more effectively communicates the want or need that we are trying to express.

There are many techniques, theories, and tools that help us achieve a more balanced and mindful way of existing and communicating. I'll be reviewing some of them here in upcoming blogs.