Not a super flexy slender Yoga chick talks "the Power of Non-Reacting"

You’re stuck in traffic and suddenly feel the Kraken arise from the depths of your belly… You’re standing in a queue and see someone cut the line, and boom—the Kraken’s back… You’re listening to someone express an opinion you don’t agree with, and guess what? The Kraken reappears.

What do you do? Do you react, lose your 💩, or do you keep your calm and observe what’s happening?

Now, I do not know an enlightened master nor do I see one smiling back at me in the mirror (I wish, HA). And I know we all lose it sometimes, and that’s OK. But here’s the question: for how long do you keep those cortisol levels high, replaying the scene in your head and imagining different outcomes? Or worse, do you replay it and justify your reaction by making the other person the villain?

None of that serves you. No good comes from holding onto that energy. It’s happened—let it go and move on. You can always apologize (and an apology doesn’t mean you agree with what the other person did; it’s just about owning your behavior).

Eventually, you’ll get sick of the cycle of apologies and start wondering, "Isn’t there a better way?" Good news: there is. Bad news: it takes practice.

The key is creating space before reacting. Being able to observe the Kraken rising within you gives you the pause you need before unleashing it. Why do we react at all? Because of the bloody ego. That little creep loves to make us look like fools. But here’s the good news: the ego can be tamed and trained.

Non-reacting doesn’t mean suppressing your emotions; it means pausing between "what is happening" and "what you’re going to do about it." In that pause, you decide your future: will you replay the scene over and over, or will you let it go? If you respond instead of reacting, you’re far less likely to regret it and can move forward peacefully. And we can all agree—peace of mind sounds like a much better option.

The Exercise

Start practicing by observing how you feel in different situations. The scenarios might change, but the trigger is usually the same. Recognize it, feel the unease, and allow yourself to sit with the discomfort. That tiny pause will save you so many regrets, and it will give you the peace of mind you deserve.

Sadly, there’s no magic recipe for this. It’s a constant practice. The question is: how much do you want to stop regretting things and stop being so reactive? The amount of effort you put into this is exactly how much peace you’ll gain in return.

I’d love to hear your technique for keeping the Kraken on a leash…