Your Peace Is More Important Than Your Response You don’t always need to react You’re learning that not everything needs an immediate reaction—especially not from you. It is alright to let things go. Sometimes, some people may feel the need to have a say, or win an argument or be right or have an opinion. In this current time, when everyone has a social media page, a podcast mic, a camera phone or access to an audience, it can be tempting to lend a voice to what goes on around you. Some are compelled to do it. Just because we have access does not mean that we should sound off. Likewise, just because we can react does not mean that we should. I like to work on this concept particularly in altercations or disagreements, especially when one side of the party is getting significantly worked up, whether it is by displaying anger or strong emotions. We have to ask ourselves what the end goal of this argument is. When I walk away from this, what will either of us gain? Sometimes, I find it is not worth it to just be right. There are times when the other party is purposely trying to get under your skin. They want to engage you, enrage you even. They want a reaction. Our current media landscape is like this. With the media economy set up the way it is, all that matters is the click and how long they can keep you engaged. That’s what pays the bills. That is what gets the brands to spend money and keep the lights on. Of course, that is serious business. So, clickbait and articles that serve to stir up our emotions are the most reactionary and what keep us around longer. It is usually something negative that is designed to trigger a part of us that compels us to engage. That constant interaction can be exhausting. It requires a respite because we should not constantly have our buttons pressed and emotions fired. It is not healthy and can lead to ongoing stress reactions. When do we decompress? Between the news on television and the information on social media, our senses are always on high alert, and we do not even notice. Talk about being constantly in stress mode. Fight or flight never turns off, and that leads us to hormonal reactions that lead to chronic stress that leads to disease. So it is okay not to react. It is okay to turn it off. It is okay to allow your mind some time to just be. Stare at the clouds, breathe, doodle, skip, or do whatever frivolous thing that makes your heart smile, even if it is just for a minute. Is it easy? Absolutely not. Is it necessary? Absolutely yes! Beyond necessary. It is imperative. Check out some of our related posts Let Go of The Drama Release What’s Weighing You Down: Today is a Good Day to Let Go of What No Longer Serves You In This Moment: Three Steps to get There Losing You: The Art of Letting Go and Finding Yourself Again Stress Management in Five ------------ Love the show? Be sure to like, share, and subscribe wherever you stream podcasts. You can also follow @LiteVi across social media for wellness tips, entertainment commentary, and your weekly drop of happy. www.litevi.com
