The Choice to React or Respond

It’s been a long time since my last blog, I am happy to be back. 

The past six months have certainly tested our mental, emotional, and physical wellbeing. Fortunately, I have been able to find a few positives among all of the challenges. I found professional development opportunities in two online yoga courses and began implementing live-streamed yoga classes to enhance the connections between my local and international yoga community. Most helpful of all, finding gratitude in personal and family health and solid relationships with friends.

To be honest, stress has caused interruptions in my practice lately but recognizing how much better I feel when I practice consistently makes me strive to find ways to alleviate my stress. We all have a choice on how we react or respond to the lack of “normalcy” in our lives. I find when I fully react to the situation, I get angry, I get judgmental, I want to scream, I withdraw from others and I pout. All of which I regret later. On good days, I remember to take a deep breath, pause, and acknowledge the negative thoughts. This calm self-aware response better prepares me for the challenges of the day. 

We are all dealing with our own battles in these challenging times and it is easy to react in ways we may regret later. Responding with a kind word, thought, or action can go a long way. Shared kindness enhances our connections to one another and promotes a commitment toward finding solutions to the struggles the world faces while giving ourselves a stronger sense of the normalcy we miss so much right now.

Be well, stay safe, be kind.

Namaste’