Stimulus and Response
Going for a handshake – when someone reaches their hand out for one, we almost automatically reach our hand out to finish the shake…
Like pavlov’s dog study when the bell rings they drool
Or when we drive past our childhood house we get a certain feeling..
This is stimulus and response.
The amazing thing is, these two are separate from one another – there’s a gap between them.
A stimulus isn’t our response and a response isn’t the stimulus (for us anyway)
And within that gap, is our ability and free will to choose what occupies that space.
Many people don’t even make a conscious choice, they react to the stimulus vs choosing how they really want to respond.
You hit me so I’m going to hit you. Eye for an eye.
If we can increase that gap between stimulus and response, then we can make better decisions, for ourselves and our lives.
And this process can start with becoming aware we have a choice in every situation
and practicing our right of choice until it becomes automatic
Joe DiAndrea 