“There is a battle between two wolves inside us, One is evil, it is anger jealousy greed, resentment lies, inferiority and ego. The other is good, its joy, peace, love hope, humility, kindness empathy and truth. The wolf that wins is the one you feed.”
Native American Proverb
Every day is a revelation, every passing moment a prophecy. The last couple of years in my life have been very eventful. I’ve landed on new horizons, made new acquaintances and tasted distinct cuisines. All experiences have taught me something new. I’ve come in contact with different individuals, some have left for good and some will always linger on for good. But there is a category of individuals who are very trying and test your patience level to extreme either through their venom-laden tongues or sadistic behavior. Now here I must take the opportunity for expressing my heartfelt gratitude towards such noble souls for they have taught me a valuable lesson that when you stop reacting they stop provoking.
Newton’ Third Law
Newton’s Third Law states that ” For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction.” It’s such a beautiful law with enormous wisdom. When there is an action there is reaction simple yet so profound. Have you realized that even the breath that you inhale has a reaction? Something as mundane as a flapping of a bird’s wings accounts for a counter-response, how amazing. I have tried to apply this law to a few of my relatives, co-workers, and boss( toxic one) that if I react to their gibberish there would be more provocation coming my way. On the other hand, if I stop reacting there is no chance of any provoking. We all have people in our lives who get on our nerves, beneath our skins. People who derive pleasure out of our fall. They become our triggers, the more we acknowledge them worse it is for us.
Just Breathe
I have been an angry person and very quick to outbursts. As time passed, my outbursts became predictable, the irony is everyone could see them coming apart from me. Years of emotional pain and perceived wrongs had me struggling with my eruptions. But this behavior of mine needed to change because I’ve had enough of people commenting on my foul temper. One of the techniques that helped me control my mood upheavals was being mindful. Whenever I get angry or anxious, I simply watch my breath and it helps me to shift my mind off the situations and people and keeps me calmer. There is no religion or confusing metaphysics here but a simple fact, live in the moment and enjoy! Breathing is a fundamental fact of life when things go hay-wire just come back to the basic.
We all have our hot buttons which when pushed make us react, it is but natural. We can’t avoid certain situations and people. The key is to identify the triggers which lead to reactions. Self-awareness and mindful breathing can help us to control our emotions.
“It’s all about finding the calm in the chaos”
Donna Karen