Resetting Reaction Addiction

Greetings!

He had keen, playful and observant eyes. Although our acquaintance was few days old; we were speaking with an ease of old friends who have met after a long time. "Let me tell you the most important learning of my life!", he quipped. I was all ears.

"There is someone who has been a Godfather to me and shaped my career entirely for two decades. I have no qualms in saying that he prodded, nudged, cajoled, pushed, intimidated, motivated and gave almost all growth opportunities in my career." I could see the respect in his eyes too. But there was a glint of sadness and a lining of wisdom. I was intrigued.

"But, it so happened that the day I grew out of his shadow and into my own was the very same day he started treating me with excruciating vehemence. It went on for months.  Nothing in my life has hurt me so much. This just crushed me to the core.", He took a moment to glance out of the window. I held my breath.

"And you know what? When I was spiralling into the bottomless despair, I came across a wise man. He simply said - Do you really have to react to everything everyone does to you? Why don't you accept the reality and respond?" I could see that this wisdom has not only helped him resolve the situation to a happy ending through respectful and direct dialogue, but this learning has also made him a very wise and happy man. His success in profession stood tall but his success in winning over his inner daemons and the freedom that reflected through his easy banter stood even taller.

At that moment, I knew I have made a wise friend with a big heart and for life!



The very next moment, questions started making beeline in my head. Have we really become so reactive that we cannot help but react to everything that happens? Does that nasty email need a hasty reply? Does that WhatsApp message need a quick retort? Does that snide comment need a quid pro quo? Does that question need to be answered right now? Do we really need to instantly react to this... and that.. and that too?

Have we gotten into a reaction addiction? If yes, then perhaps it is time for us to reset from "quickly react mode" to "wisely respond mode"...

Happy resetting 👍...

Sincerely Mine!
Anand Kulkarni

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