“When you react, you let others control you.
When you respond, you are in control.” – Bohdi Sanders

Think of a time when you were confronted with a disappointment or disagreement. Did you respond or did you react to that situation? When a situation occurs, our body is going to react instinctively! The trick is to become aware of this initial reaction, resist doing anything, and make a conscious choice.

It takes energy to rise above the difficulties of the moment, so Age Esteemers respond by:

• Breathing deeply. The oxygen from inhaling has a nice way of calming the moment at hand. The ‘gap’ between the circumstance and your behavior is what contributes to gaining a sense of control in your life.
• Avoiding a “knee-jerk reaction” Which can be regretted almost immediately by wrong or unkind words or actions.
• Responding with a conscious choice. This usually produces more amiable results. For instance, one can civilly “agree to disagree.

You are a role model at every age and creating your legacy through how you “choose to be” at each age. When you choose to respond instead of react, it rubs off onto those around you growing their Age Esteem.