Reacting vs responding - do you know the difference?

What is the difference between responding and reacting?

Day to day we have several ways of responding or reacting to certain situations in our lives. We choose to engage with others in ways that will impact our relationships at work, home, social gatherings, etc. Often times we may find ourselves caught in a cycle of instinctive reactions instead of thoughtful and intentional responses.

I myself can say that there are some situations (triggers) where I definitely react instead of respond. And it is something I am working on. 

The thing with reacting, is that most (if not all) of the times I do I feel my emotions very heightened, and later on feel regret for not handling the situation in a better way. 

Understanding the difference between responding and reacting is very important, as they are different ways we approach different situations. Reacting typically involves an involuntary, knee-jerk response, whilst responding is more thoughtful and intentional. 

Responding vs Reacting Worksheets

I've created these responding vs reacting worksheets resource for anyone interested in knowing more about the difference between them in a more practical way.

These worksheets is filled with information to understand more about these two and includes practical exercises to cope and overcome the vicious cycle. 

Click here to grab the worksheets!