Noticing Reactive Emotions
Over the next week, see if you can notice a time when you react to someone with some motivation other than kindness or compassion: anger, jealousy, fear, defensiveness, greed, etc.
Notice what feelings arise for you in that situation and how it feels in the body.
Perhaps, you will notice this before you have reacted physically or verbally in the situation.
Perhaps, you are in the middle of your reaction when you notice.
Perhaps, after the situation is completely over and you are looking back on it.
Reflect on these thoughts and feelings. Then see if you can think of a way you could react with compassion in similar situations and ask yourself, “What prevents me from acting with compassion in these situations?” Really be honest with yourself to see if you can see a pattern of thinking or reacting that comes up with this type of person, this type of situation or when you are in a certain frame of mind.
Remember that awareness of our reactions is the crack in that shell keeping us separate from our true self, and from others, who are really just like us.
Home 