Sunday, October 23

YOUR Reaction CAN CAUSE Stress OR Happiness

Unless you realize that it was you causing all this stress in your life, you will never overcome. You will never stop blaming other people for the bad things that are a happening to you. 
The result of not knowing that it is YOU who makes your life and not reacting on it in a good way cause YOU to suffer undeserved stress, trials, problems, headache, body aches and heartache. 
This article can help you realize it more. Juts have an open mind and an open heart. Add this to your learning and live a different happier life. 
" 10% of life is made up of what happens to you. 90% of life is decided by how you react. " What does this mean? We really have no control over 10% of what happens to us. We cannot stop the car from breaking down. The heavy traffic which throws your whole schedule off. A jeepney or taxi driver loading passengers in front of your car where in fact the place a a no loading zone and they even do it in the middle of the street. 
We have no control over this 10%. The other 90% is different. You determine the other 90%!
How?
By your reaction. You cannot control a red light, but you can control your reaction. Don't let people fool you, YOU can control how you react! It's the only thing in your control in this world. All the rest is out of your hand and all you can do is handle the situation and affect other people. 
Let's use an example. 
You're eating breakfast with your family. Your daughter knocks over a cup of coffee into your business shirt. You have no control over what just happened. What happens next will be determined by how you react. You curse. You harshly scold your daughter for knocking the coffee cup over. She breaks down in tears. After scolding her, you turn to your spouse and criticize them for placing the cup too close to the edge of the table.
 A short verbal battle follows. You storm upstairs and change your shirt. Back downstairs you find your daughter has been too busy crying to finish breakfast and get ready for school. She misses the bus. Your spouse must leave immediately for work. You rush to the car and drive your daughter to school. Because you are late, you drive 40 miles an hour in a 30 mph speed limit. After a 15 minute delay and throwing $60 (traffic fine) away, you arrive at school. Your daughter runs to the building without saying good-bye. After arriving at the office 20 minutes late, you find you forgot your briefcase. Your day has started terrible. As it continues, it seems to get worse and worse. You look forward to going home. When you arrive home you find a small wedge in your relationship with your spouse and daughter.

Why? Because of how you reacted in the morning! Why did you have a bad day?
          A) Did the coffee cause it?
          B) Did your daughter cause it?
          C) Did the Policeman cause it?
          D) Did you cause it?
The answer is .... ___!
You had no control over what happened with the coffee. How you reacted in those 5 seconds is what caused your bad day.
Here is what could have and should have happened:

Coffee splashes over you. Your daughter is about to cry. You gently say "It's OK honey, you just need to be more careful next time". Grabbing a towel you rush upstairs. After grabbing a new shirt and your briefcase, you come back down in time look through the window and see your child getting on the bus. She turns and waves. You and your spouse kiss before you both go to work. You arrive 5 minutes early and cheerfully greet the staff. Your boss comments on how good a day you are having.

Notice the difference? Two different scenarios. Both started the same. Both ended different. Why? Because of how you REACTED. You really do not have any control over 10% of what happens. The other 90% is determined by your reaction.
Here are some ways to apply the 90/10 secret: If someone says something negative about you, do not be a sponge. Let the attack roll off like water on glass. You do not have to let the negative comment affect you! React properly and it will not ruin your day. A wrong reaction could result in losing a friend, being fired, getting stressed out, etc.
How do you react if someone cuts you off in traffic? Do you lose your temper? Pound the steering wheel? (A friend of mine had the steering wheel fall off!) Do you curse? Does your blood pressure skyrocket? Do you try and bump them?
WHO CARES if you arrive ten seconds later at work? Why even blame the heavy traffic for it? If you loose your job, you got fired? Bad day? … Choose to look at the bright side. A lot of opportunity awaits even if you loose one, there are a lot to choose from. Just look around you.
Being stressed out and reacting negatively can just make things worse. Just always remember and be conscious everything in life is just 10%, the 90% is how well you will react on it. Choose to act positively. The answer is in your hands as to have a bad day or always have today a better day than yesterday.
Remember that there is only one thing you can control in this world and that is you. Everything outside of you is not in your control. And also remember that stress produces free radicals in your body. Free radicals!? - That is the next story... 
 * I found this article from my yahoo group Health Awareness Initiative and modified it bit :) 

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