Respond, don’t react

A small region of your brain called the hypothalamus likes to run wild on you. When you are under duress, it instructs the adrenal glands to release cortisol and adrenaline, also known as stress hormones.

When stress mounts, it feels like the best recourse is to move faster, because it’s the natural reaction to the chemicals. They’re urging you to hurry up, or freak out, or panic.

That’s a reaction. What you need is a response.

It seems counterproductive because of the hypothalamus, but taking a moment to gather your thoughts (I like to write them out by hand) can switch your behavior in mere minutes.

Respond, don’t react.