So if you are a Grade-A reactor, what can you do? You can learn more about reactions and yourself in yoga. It is far too easy to react to how something feels or what the person next to you is doing. The next thing always seems to be judgment. You can’t do a pose so you react by giving up or pushing yourself beyond your limits. If you succeed or fail, you judge yourself. The alternative is to notice and to fully experience and decipher what is happening before you make your next move. You are now not only completely control of your feelings and emotions, but if a reaction is necessary, you react appropriately.
Many times the issue with reacting to something is how out of proportion it is. Freaking out because there is milk instead of soy milk in your latte is too much. When our reactions are equal to the event, it is less likely that another person will be offended or hurt. Sometimes, by not reacting, you can help to snap someone out of their funk. If you let the kind barista know that you need soy milk instead of regular milk, I am sure he or she will gladly make you another. Smiles can take you miles ;)
So next time someone pushes your buttons, stop for just a few breaths before your next move. You may be surprised at how your reality becomes just a bit more peaceful…
