Reactions are fast. Responses are wise.
When you're triggered, your nervous system wants to protect you — often with defensiveness, sarcasm, or withdrawal. But you are not your impulses.
This habit teaches you to interrupt emotional autopilot. With one deep breath, a 3-second pause, or a mental reminder like “This is not about me”, you shift from instinct to intention.
Over time, this makes you calmer, more respected — and more in control.