Heal in Place. Fill your Still. Respond vs React. When you react, your emotions are in control, with no thought of consequences. Feelings are not facts and so your amygdala is running the show. I deluded myself for years believing that when I was screaming and throwing temper tantrums that I was taking control of a situation that I didn’t like. Looking back with this newly acquired wisdom – I now know the polar opposite was true. Because I was not in control of the storms raging inside me I would over react to everything going on outside me. My reactions were automatic and survival oriented and often elicited behaviors that I regretted later. An over-reaction stresses us physically too. We clench our fists and our jaw. We feel our stomach turn. Our face turns red and our defenses are on high alert. When you respond, your brain is fully engaged, and your self-awareness is high. Your pre-frontal cortex has the long-term consequences in mind. Your amygdala is not in charge. To respond to an explosive situation take a deep breath, a pause, or a brief moment to keep yourself together. That moment can mean the difference between navigating the situation with dignity and maturity or crashing hard into a pit of blame and shame.