#8: Shift from reactivity to proactivity.

#8: Shift from reactivity to proactivity.

From Guest Transition and Wellness Coach Jenny Gallagher

When a sudden change occurs that is not in your control, reacting may be necessary as the first response requires agility. This "fight or flight" is a response from the sympathetic system and has short-term value. After the initial stimulus, we are meant to shift back to the parasympathetic response. To make the transition from reactive to proactive behaviors is a life mastery skill that requires awareness and intention. Try this for yourself and then help others on your teams as well:

• Identify your habitual triggers or reactions to stressful situations. Is your go-to response to be defensive or angry? Or do you walk away? Once you have this information about yourself you have created a level of awareness that you can now use whenever you feel that feeling.
• Use the awareness of the feeling as a signal to stop and take a few deep breaths. This will give you time to resist the urge to react.
• Set an intention. As Tony Robbins says "energy flows where attention goes". While you may not be able to control a circumstance you can always control your attitude, mood, and reactions. You can shift your mindset from worried to curious, judgmental to respectful, fearful to fearless. Therefore your intention would be to be more curious, respectful, fearless. Conscious choices will shift you from being the victim to empowerment and from here you can set proactive goals.
• If you struggle with making the transition with personal improvement consider working with a transition coach. It is important to enjoy the journey because the struggle keeps you in a place of lacking.