React to drama with a mind like water

When something unexpected happens in our day, big or small, our reaction to that event is entirely up to us. As Ward Farnsworth says in The Practicing Stoic:

We don’t react to events; we react to our judgments about them, and the judgments are up to us.

It’s not unlike something Donald Miller has shared before, stating:

We respect people who react a little under, not over, the level of drama a situation deserves.

David Allen talks a lot about having a “mind like water”, meaning that we respond appropriately to new things that come our way. Just like a pond will provide a small splash when you toss in a small rock, and a big splash from a big rock, we should scale our responses appropriately.

Sometimes a big reaction is required, but the appropriate reaction is always the one to aim for.

Originally published at https://www.mickmel.com on December 26, 2021.