Systems Check Take A Personal Inventory
Take inventory of yourself as you go through your day.
– Mary Elizabeth Murphy, RESET Your Buttons
Are you ready to improve your response time while reducing your reactions, or worse yet, your over-reactions? Take time today and do a systems check. It is your personal inventory. A few moments to notice what you are Feeling, Thinking, Sensing. If you need a reminder set a timer on your phone or computer to alert you every 20 to 45 minutes. Perhaps a simple sticky note on your computer screen or bathroom mirror will do the trick.
Physical awareness (how are you feeling?) Short or shallow breathing, tightening of muscles, faster heartbeat OR easy breathing with long smooth breath from your abdomen instead of your chest, relaxed muscles, normal heartbeat.
Be aware of your thoughts. (what are you thinking?) Are you questioning another’s motive? Are you making up a story? Are you “shoulding” on someone? OR – are you using the tool of curiosity? Are you open to learning more about the current situation or what led up to it? Are you willing to explore the needs, motivations, or reasoning of the other person or all the people involved?
Emotion check (sensing) – what is your “gut” saying? Are you feeling nervous OR elated? Are you filled with dread OR anticipation? Perhaps you are experiencing a combination of emotions – take a breath and begin to identify as many as possible.
Most of these reactions are a normal part of you and they come with this thing we call daily living. RESET Your Buttons today by being able to momentarily turn off the automatic pilot that is running your system. Routinely step out and observe what is happening. Do your systems check on feeling, thinking and sensing.
When you begin to form the habit of “checking in with yourself”, or as my dear friend and mentor Patty Jo Cornish would remind me, “just notice”. You will find that when the crucial moments occur, you are better prepared and equipped to respond vs. react.