Reaction Vs Responding: Emotion in the Driver’s Seat

When we react, our nervous system takes over. Fear, anger, frustration, or anxiety can instantly dictate our words and actions. Reactions are automatic—they come from survival instincts, not conscious choice. They may feel justified in the moment, but they often lead to regret, tension, or unresolved conflict.

For many women, this reactive pattern is intensified by the unique hormonal fluctuations across the menstrual cycle, pregnancy, postpartum, and perimenopause. Rising or falling oestrogen and progesterone levels can amplify emotional responses, heighten anxiety, or increase irritability.

Layered on top of this is the mental load—the invisible labour of managing home, work, family, and self—which can make it feel nearly impossible to pause before reacting. Reacting is living in chaos, letting triggers and biology co-write the story of your day.

Response: Awareness Leads the Way Responding, however, is a conscious, intentional act. It requires a pause, a breath, and awareness. It’s about observing what’s happening, acknowledging the emotions rising within you, and choosing the next most effective action.

When we respond rather than react, we work with our body and mind, rather than against them.

Understanding hormonal influences on mood—like the emotional dips during perimenopause or PMS—can help women anticipate triggers, regulate stress, and navigate challenges with clarity.

Responses come from safety, not survival. They offer insight over confusion, control over impulse, and empowerment over the mental and emotional weight we often carry.

Responding allows us to engage with life fully, rather than being swept along by emotion.

The Power of the Pause

Even a brief pause can transform how we handle challenges. This pause activates awareness, creating space between stimulus and reaction. It gives you a chance to align with your true self, assess your options, and respond intentionally.

For women juggling the mental load of work, family, and life transitions, this pause can be revolutionary. It’s a moment to check in with yourself—acknowledge your hormones, notice your energy, and honour your needs—before making decisions or responding to external demands.

Pause. Observe. Choose.

Align & Arise: Begins 7th Sept -Deepen Your Emotional Awareness If you’re ready to move beyond reactive living and cultivate emotional clarity, I invite you to join Align & Arise, a 6-week journey designed to help women understand their emotional blueprint.

Over six weeks, you’ll gain tools, insights, and support to:

• Recognise emotional patterns influenced by hormones, stress, and life transitions

• Release old blocks and triggers that fuel reactive responses

• Respond intentionally instead of reacting instinctively

• Cultivate emotional resilience, clarity, and self-compassion

Free Workshop: Tuesday 26th August at 1pm via zoom. “Unmute Your Emotions”

As part of this journey, you’re invited to a free workshop, Unmute Your Emotions, where we’ll explore common emotional blocks, the impact of hormones, and practical ways to release them.

Even if you can’t attend live, the session will be recorded for flexible access.

Life doesn’t have to feel like a series of reactive moments. You can move from chaos to clarity, from survival to safety, from reaction to response.

Step into awareness. Step into emotional freedom. Step into yourself.