"Activated people make reactive decisions."
Ask yourself
- What emotion is driving me?
- What am I afraid of?
- Am I reacting or responding?
Do Not
- send the text
- threaten
- over-explain
- chase
- quit impulsively
- make emotional promises
Do
- breathe
- walk
- pause
- hydrate
- slow your nervous system
Circle of Control
Mine
- my behavior
- my honesty
- my choices
- my boundaries
- my effort
Not Mine
- their response
- their approval
- their emotions
- the outcome
- controlling people
when you stop managing things that do not belong to you.
Self-Esteem Bucket — Ask
"What behavior fills my bucket right now?"
Fills the Bucket
- Honesty
- Accountability
- Reliability
- Respect
- Kindness
Hole Pokers
- avoidance
- blame
- manipulation
- aggression
- self-abandonment
- dishonesty
is created by behavior — not validation.
Fact
"They did not respond."
Story
"They do not care about me."
Fact
"This is uncomfortable."
Story
"I cannot handle this."
Fact
"I made a mistake."
Story
"I am a failure."
begins when stories stop driving decisions.
Every Powerful Decision Costs Something
But weak decisions cost identity.
And identity is always more expensive.