by Erin Cole

Created on: April 28, 2009

Remaining calm in the rivers of chaos is not just a virtue; it is a request from the higher self. When things go wrong, a natural response may be to panic, get upset, or engage in destructive reactions. Emotions have a profound impact on judgment and can easily cloud thinking, resulting in unfavorable consequences. Stepping away from the situation or taking deep breaths is sensible, but often implausible or difficult to achieve. What is most important during stressful situations is a conscious awareness of the moment: turning off habituated responses and exploring productive options.

Every reaction a person has is usually based upon past experience, and once memories are elicited, the mind begins to function on auto pilot, employing prior thoughts and feelings into action. If in past experiences, situations were handled with ineffective responses, such as anger or helplessness, these same attitudes will be enacted again, unless the cycle is stopped, which requires a shift to conscious awareness.

Each day brings new challenges and many opportunities to begin using conscious awareness. As a problem arises, the mind has already begun an extensive search to catalog the experience, obtain relevant information, and execute thought into action. But will this response be beneficial? Before forming an opinion or acting on impulse, just stop. Realize the situation has occured and cannot be changed. Recognizing this is the beginning to regainning control. Now that the mental cycle has been stopped, what choices or responses will lead to the most constructive solution? At this point, the higher self emerges and a chance for optimizing success ensues.

There are few things in life people can control, but the chosen option is always one of them. Author Charles Swindoll once said, "...life is ten percent what happens to me and ninety percent how I react to it." This is a prime example of conscious awareness. When this type of thinking is implemented during moments of chaos, the emotional auto pilot is turned off, allowing a full use of mental resources. The negative cycle of chaos, rashness, and resulting additional chaos is arrested. Control is achieved and the higher self can speak. Stressful situations are always an unfortunate event, but when the higher self, that deeper knowing, becomes active in the thought process, positive and healthy decisions, responses, and attitudes result.

Like anything new, initiating a calmer thought pattern takes practice and time. But the rewards of changing negative reactions into beneficial ones are invaluable. Not only will moments of chaos seem less stressful, but having resolved situations with calm regard will lead to greater happiness in life.

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