Reaction vs response: The difference between a reaction and a response is a space. There is a pause; a moment of conscious awareness.
- A reaction is an automatic, unconscious, programmed action that is triggered by a stimulus. Reactions are involuntary thoughts, emotions, and movements that are impulsive and outside of one’s control.
- E.g., someone broke a glass, and you yell at them. Did you choose to yell at them, or was it an automatic behavior?
- E.g., someone broke a glass, and you checked to see if they were okay. Reactions are not inherently good or bad, they just are.
- A response is a deliberate action in a given situation. One filters their thoughts, considers their options, and chooses how to express themselves, if at all.
- E.g., someone broke a glass, and you noticed yourself getting upset so you took a breath, counted from 5-to-1, and then checked on them to see if they were okay. You learned how to control yourself through training, practice, and self-awareness.
- How to create a space:
- Behavioral training includes mindfulness to cultivate self-awareness and stillness, along with practice to re-condition how you act.
- Taking a deep breath and slowly exhaling creates a space.
- Deliberation creates a space between reaction and response.
“Between stimulus and response, there is a space. In that space is our power to choose our response. In our response lies our growth and our freedom.”