According to Stephen Covey, best-selling author of Principle Centered Leadership and Seven Habits of Highly Effective People, between stimulus and response lies our greatest power— the freedom to choose. We have the absolute power to choose our reaction.
I believe this is true in every relationship — with spouses, family members, friends, strangers, co-workers, neighbors, bosses, politicians, talking heads on television, or life-long enemies. We always have the freedom to choose to store our egos away in the closet, and respond from a different level than the stimulus. We all have the power to choose who we are. No one can take our Inner Essence away from us, unless we decide to squander who we are and settle for the ego level of functioning.
- What if we choose to respond to rudeness with kindness?
- What if we choose to react to fearful behavior with understanding?
- What if we choose to respond to anger with love?
- What if we choose to return mean-spiritedness with forgiveness?
- What if we choose to see bullying behavior with understanding?
- What if we choose to respond to ignorance with empathy?
- What if we choose to deal with phony, hypocritical politicians with authenticity?
- What if we choose to accept different religions and cultures with dignity and respect?
- What if we choose to respond to greed with generosity?
- What if we choose to address racism and bigotry with assertive non-violence?
- What if we choose, in every situation, to perceive ourselves and others as either extending love or giving a call for help?
Might the seeds of change be planted for a more peaceful, loving, inclusive planet?
Stephen Covey thought so, and so do I. Maybe this is how our world changes from darkness into light—one responsive candle at a time.
