THE EDITOR Letter from By Debby Zelman Rapoport When we waken and decide to have a great day, despite what does or doesn’t happen around us, we can move from a chaotic-to-calm reality of enjoying our day. uch happens in the world around us that we can’t control. Sometimes, when things don’t go as expected, we are left to feel sad, stressed, disappointed or frustrated. With that in mind, we bring these feelings upon ourselves because of our reactions, which we can control. Although the concept of controlling our reactions is much easier said than practiced, our reactions ultimately determine how we will feel in the outcome of each situation. We react to hundreds of things each day, from picking up something that fell on the floor to answering a question. Although many reactions are automatic, others take on a process. Nonetheless, while we can’t control our environment or other people’s actions, we can always control our own reactions, thoughts, words and feelings. When we waken and decide to have a great day, despite what does or doesn’t happen around us, we can move from a chaotic-to-calm reality of enjoying our day. Sadly, many of us compromise our happiness by allowing our reality to be dictated by circumstances, events, luck and other people. Even in the worst of situations, there is some glimmer of hope where a positive spin can help you make the best of a situation. When presented with challenging situations, which are part of life, emotion, instead of logic, often steers us. As a result, we react in a manner in which we have trained ourselves to react. Some people tend to see doom and gloom while others still see a glass half full, and it is human nature to let our emotions run us instead of allowing us to run our emotions. When writing (or reading) this article in a calm state of mind, this all sounds logical, but when we are put to the test, much of what we intellectually know flies out the window. According to Albert Einstein, the definition of insanity is doing something over and over again and expecting a different result. If you are happy with your reactions, read no further! If not, the following pointers may be helpful. • Put some space between an event and your response. When doing so, information can be processed more clearly. • Embrace being calm. When stressed, anxious and volatile, we are more likely to react inappropriately. And, when we snap at others, they are more likely to snap back, thereby exacerbating the situation. • Ask questions. When obtaining additional information, more logical decisions can be made. • Invest your emotional energy wisely. Positive energy gives a more positive result than negative energy. • Wear a wristband as a reminder to be more aware, balanced and in control. This is a constant reminder of making a commitment to embrace a calm-versus-chaotic or stressful, atmosphere. We each have a choice. We can control our reactions or let our reactions control us. M “Your attitudes, actions, reactions and expectations are harbored in the power of your thoughts. Think positively and you will smile at the harvest time.” ~ Israelmore Ayivor, Dream Big!: See Your Bigger Picture! “If you want your life to be different, you have to start reacting to life differently.” ~ Bryant McGill, Simple Reminders: Inspiration for Living Your Best Life “How people treat you is their karma; how you react is yours.” ~ Wayne Dyer “Life is 10% what happens to you and 90% how you react to it.” ~ Charles R. Swindoll “It’s not the situation, but whether we react negatively or respond positively to the situation that is important.” ~ Zig Ziglar “I have no choice about whether or not I have Parkinson’s. I have nothing but choices about how I react to it. In those choices, there’s freedom to do a lot of things in areas that I wouldn’t have otherwise found myself in.” ~ Michael J. Fox September 2015 n Beachwood Buzz 3