It Is How You React

A “reaction” is defined as “an action performed or a feeling experienced in response to a situation or event, a process that initiates change.”

You subconsciously and passively choose how will react to any given situation and how that situation will affect you. Consider taking a conscious, active approach for your reactions instead. Be actively engaged in co-creating the life you desire.

“How easy or difficult your life is directly dependent upon your reactions.”

Stephen Lesavich, PhD

Adversity is a “serious or continued difficulty or misfortune.” How are you going to react to the adversity you are facing?

“It is your reaction to adversity, not the adversity itself, that determines how your life’s story will develop.”

Dieter F. Uchtdorf – aviator and airline executive.

Adversity creates hardships, and challenges in your life you need to react to and overcome. Are you going to react in a positive, productive way or in a negative, destructive way?

“Life is 10% of what happens and 90% of how you react to it.”

Charles R Swindoll – pastor, author, educator.

How will you decide what your reactions will be? Will your reactions allow you to become a victor or leave you as a victim? Will you react with fear or courage? Will you react with anxiety or peace? Will you react with anger or calm? Will you react with power or force?

PODCAST: It IS how you react

What steps can you take to formulate appropriate reactions to the adversity you are facing?

1. Take a Holistic Inventory of Yourself. Be a Holistic person. A holistic person understands the current state of their physical, mental, emotional and spiritual health. Physical health refers to the condition of your body. Mental health refers to your ability to process information. Emotional health refers to your ability to express feelings based upon the information you have processed. Spiritual health refers to your sense of connection to a Higher Power, something bigger than yourself. An appropriate reaction to any adversity should include a holistic consideration of your overall health addressing you as a whole person. A holistic reaction includes identifying current obstacles, identifying how current obstacles fit into the big picture and how you as a whole person can take the appropriate holistic actions to respond to the obstacles.
2. Define Your Reaction Attitude in a Holistic Way. Ask yourself this question, “What will be my reaction attitude?” Part of reacting to adversity is overcoming your triggers and responses to negative emotions such fear, anxiety, anger, despair, depression, etc. A reaction attitude includes choosing a positive emotional response to any negative triggers and emotions your are feeling and will feel moving forward. Base your positive emotional response on positive emotions such as, happiness, love, joy, peace, trust, hope, etc. You can create emotionally stable, holistic reaction attitudes by recognizing and adjusting any negative emotions you are feeling before they can influence any of your reactions.
3. Move Forward Taking Holistic-based Actions. Movement is the key to life in all situations, including situations in which you are facing any type of adversity. So keep moving forward by reacting and taking holistic actions and making responsible decisions based on your positive reaction attitudes. Remember, in the physical world, motion creates friction. Friction is the resistance to motion of one object moving against another. As you react in a holistic manner, even with your positive reaction attitudes, you will likely create friction and resistance in your life. Rebound from any friction and resistance you face by constantly and dynamically readjusting your holistic-based reaction attitudes and actions to something new.

Reacting to adversity in your life in a holistic manner with the proper reaction attitudes way will create a positive impact in your life and in the lives of anyone you encounter.

Out There on the Edge of Everything®…

Stephen Lesavich, PhD

Copyright © 2020, 2023 by Stephen Lesavich, PhD.  All rights reserved.

Certified solution-focused life coach and experienced business coach.