The Space
Between
by Janet
Shlaes, Ph.D.
“Between
stimulus and response there is a space. In that space is our power to choose
our response. In our response lies our growth and our freedom.”
~ Victor
Frankl
Whether
you’re aware of it or not, you are always choosing your response to a situation
or interaction. The choice may be well thought out over time or take place
within a fraction of a second; it may be within your conscious awareness or may
feel as though it’s out of your control. Sometimes your choice moves you closer
to what you want and hold dear and sometimes it can have the exact opposite
impact. The key to consistently making good
choices is to intentionally increase the time between the stimulus and your
response. This between stimulus and response time can take many forms. Some
people increase their between time via taking a few deep breaths or counting to
ten; some stop for a moment, go internal and ask: “What do I want to accomplish
here?” The answer to this question serves to guide their response. Sometimes,
just to amuse myself, I go internal and visualize two thought bubbles, similar
to the ones you find in cartoons. The first thought bubble is filled with what
I would like to say and the second one is filled with how I actually respond.
Once you get into the habit of noticing the space between stimulus and
response, you have the capacity to choose your responses from a wise and
strategic place. Where might developing this skill enhance
the quality of your responses?
Janet
For addition
insights and observations, I invite you to check out the following posts:
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