The Difference Between Reaction & Response
February 26, 2026
Did you know that reaction and response, activate completely different parts of the brain? It's true.
- When we react to something, the more primitive part of the brain (the amygdala) instantly takes charge. This area processes emotions, while ignoring long-term effects or rational thinking. Instead, it focuses on survival and mitigating threats.
- On the flip side, when we respond to something, the prefrontal cortex takes over. This area is associated with behavior and decision-making, allowing us to weigh options, consider consequences and make choices based in logic rather than emotion.
I bring this up because, have you noticed how reactivity has escalated lately? It seems that people today, would just as soon bite someone's head off over opposing views, or snap-back with a slew of snarky and dismissive remarks, rather than respond with thoughtful consideration. It's like we're walking around in a mine field sometimes. Maybe I recognize all this, because it reminds me of long-ago days when I existed in a state of high-drama and chaos, with a frenetic nervous system ready to pop from the strain of it all.
Yes, after experiencing domestic violence at a young age, I too became extremely reactive. Although this saved me on many occasions, when thinking fast on my feet was a matter of life or death, overtime this fight-or-flight reflex became my modus operandi for all stressful events in my life, long after the abuse had ended.
Just like an alarm going off, this inner sense of urgency, makes it easy to jump into reactive survival-mode even when there is no serious threat. In other words, it becomes a knee-jerk reaction. In moments like this, when fear is driving us, being reactionary only helps to intensify panic and lead to poor decision-making and outcomes. This is because, when our mind is racing and emotions are high, we're no longer thinking rationally. Believe me I know. My story illustrates it!
Reactions are impulsive and emotional, and most often at the core of this reactivity is fear. A common symptom of fear is anxiety, which can manifest in various ways, such as, talking fast, always on the go, feeling overwhelmed, jaw clenching, teeth grinding, self-consciousness, nervousness, sleep problems, chest pains, heart palpitations, shortness of breath and muscle tension throughout the body. I tell you, living in reaction-mode is just not healthy or sustainable.
Whenever we're feeling volatile, anxious or panicked, it's imperative that we STOP, take a few deep breathes and get grounded, so we're better able to respond to our circumstances from a place of wisdom, rather than fear. Each time we practice this, we are teaching ourselves a new way of being. Instead of reacting impulsively, we are rewiring our brain, by forging new neural pathways of calmness, clarity and stability, which will eventually become our natural response to stress and challenging situations. This pulls us back into the present; back into connection; back into consciousness.
...and this, by dear, sweet friends, is what our world needs more of right now. 💕