Life is full of surprises and unforeseeable events. Especially in those uncertainties, we have little to no control. It’s so scary if these uncertainties impact our lives. Even if we try to avoid them, you never know when they appear at your doorstep. So it’s better to learn how to deal with them. And the first thing we need to learn is how we react to those uncertainties. By learning those you learn how to take control of your life.
How our fast response rules our life
Looking back, my impulsive decision always ruined my life. In many ways, I always dived into situations without thinking straight. But only years later I paid the price of my immature decisions. Huge debts, broken hearts, and a lost kid later, I looked into my life more deeply. Where did it go wrong? What could be done better? All came to the same conclusion. I lost control of my life whenever I decided impulsively. Both my career and my partners. Even though I had a bad feeling I still went for it. Fast decisions never benefit any of us. A fast response always lets us jump to conclusions, judging and assuming the worst.
The results are different but always the same devastating. A lot of avoidable conflicts could have been made. If only I didn’t jump to conclusions too fast or listen to my first initial thought. Because our first impressions aren’t always telling the truth. Rather I should have taken a step back and looked at the bigger picture.
The 5-Second-Rule – How to take control of your life
So how do we take control of our lives? The answer is simple. At any response from our body. We should wait 5 seconds to ask ourselves several questions. Questions that force us to use our brains instead of simply reacting to them. Questions that validate our initial thoughts and emotions. Are our emotions valid? Is the first impression trustworthy?
Questions to ask yourself
- Is this true?
- Is my feeling valid or am I just emotional?
- Are there different viewpoints I need to know?
- Is it my business?