--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: to change our reactions, we must first be…" description: "\"“to change our reactions, we must first be aware when these reactions happen. You can’t change them if you’re in automatic mode. Once you notice it, th..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/235/leo-babauta-18285_anger_to-change-our-reactions-we-must-first-be_1969019.jpg" --- # to change our reactions, we must first be aware when these… ![“to change our reactions, we must first be aware when these reactions happen. You can’t change them if you’re in automatic mode. Once you notice it, the key thing is not to act — it’s OK to have the feeling, but the action is what is usually destructive. Acting in anger means you’re going to do…” quote by Leo Babauta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/235/leo-babauta-18285_anger_to-change-our-reactions-we-must-first-be_1969019.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/235/leo-babauta-18285_anger_to-change-our-reactions-we-must-first-be_1969019.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/235/leo-babauta-18285_anger_to-change-our-reactions-we-must-first-be_1969019.jpg) > ““to change our reactions, we must first be aware when these reactions happen. You can’t change them if you’re in automatic mode. Once you notice it, the key thing is not to act — it’s OK to have the feeling, but the action is what is usually destructive. Acting in anger means you’re going to do something not kind, not helpful.”” [Leo Babauta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-babauta/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Awareness precedes change; pause before reacting to avoid harm. **In simple terms:** Notice before you act. Key Takeaway Practice mindful pauses. Themes mindfulness emotional regulation self‑control Mood calm thoughtful Type practical inspirational When to use this quote - conflict resolution - stress management - personal growth Key Concepts cognitive awareness behavioral change Questions to Reflect On - What triggers your automatic reactions? - How can you create a pause habit? A Different Perspective Hard to maintain in fast pace. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Anger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/anger/) ## Related quotes > [When somebody calls you stupid, if your face turns red from anger, it means that a part of you believes in this! When you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/when-somebody-calls-you-stupid-if-your-face-turns-red-from-anger-it/) [Mehmet Murat Ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [When you have no tears to cry that means your eyes are tired,When you have no anger to show that means your heart is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/analiza-garcia/when-you-have-no-tears-to-cry-that-means-your-eyes-are-tired-when-you/) [Analiza Garcia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/analiza-garcia/) > [Acting in anger and hatred throughout my life, I frequently precipitated what I feared most, the loss of friendships and the need to rely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luke-ford/acting-in-anger-and-hatred-throughout-my-life-i-frequently/) [Luke Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luke-ford/) > [“The most seductive sin, I suppose, is passing judgment on others, and the next must be acting out of one's anger when one has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nell-gavin/the-most-seductive-sin-i-suppose-is-passing-judgment-on-others-and/) Nell Gavin > [I wouldn’t change any of my reactions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-marshall/i-wouldn-t-change-any-of-my-reactions/) [Brandon Marshall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-marshall/) > [“To change one's life is not to change outer circumstances: it is to change one's reactions.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maurice-nicoll/to-change-one-s-life-is-not-to-change-outer-circumstances-it-is-to/) [Maurice Nicoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maurice-nicoll/) > [“You can't change other people or (some) conditions; you can change only your reactions to them.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dr-phil-mcgraw/you-can-t-change-other-people-or-some-conditions-you-can-change-only/) [Dr. Phil McGraw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dr-phil-mcgraw/) > [My care will be in the heart n not in words My anger will be in Words n not in the Heart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritu-ghatourey/my-care-will-be-in-the-heart-n-not-in-words-my-anger-will-be-in-words/) [Ritu Ghatourey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritu-ghatourey/) > [“Medical studies have shown that cursing reduces levels of stress and pain. Repressing your anger is not healthy. It's much better to verbalize it,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-markus-malloy/medical-studies-have-shown-that-cursing-reduces-levels-of-stress-and/) [Oliver Markus Malloy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-markus-malloy/) > [“When you feel terribly angry, you're possessed by anger ghost.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toba-beta/when-you-feel-terribly-angry-you-re-possessed-by-anger-ghost/) [Toba Beta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toba-beta/) > [“Some say the Earth is angry Because he wants no company; I say the Earth is angry Because he lives alone.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/n-k-jemisin/some-say-the-earth-is-angry-because-he-wants-no-company-i-say-the/) [N.K. Jemisin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-k-jemisin/) > [Anger is a rough water; if you can canalize it into a water mill, you can benefit from it. Anything bad can be transformed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/anger-is-a-rough-water-if-you-can-canalize-it-into-a-water-mill-you/) [Mehmet Murat Ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [The vision of the left, full of envy and resentment, takes its worst toll on those at the bottom - whether black or white…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-sowell/the-vision-of-the-left-full-of-envy-and-resentment-takes-its-worst/) [Thomas Sowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-sowell/) > [I receive something we might euphemistically call an 'inappropriately hostile' response - that is to say, more than fair criticism or even fair anger…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-beard/i-receive-something-we-might-euphemistically-call-an-inappropriately/) [Mary Beard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-beard/) > [“If I let myself think of it the pain and anger were still fresh, adrenalin racing down my limbs to pool, hot and itchy,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kylie-ladd/if-i-let-myself-think-of-it-the-pain-and-anger-were-still-fresh/) [Kylie Ladd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kylie-ladd/) ## More by Leo Babauta > [“If someone behaves rudely and you get angry with him, the problem isn’t the other person’s actions … it’s your reaction. Or more accurately,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-babauta/if-someone-behaves-rudely-and-you-get-angry-with-him-the-problem-isn/) [Leo Babauta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-babauta/) > [“The point of simple living, for me has got to be: A soft place to land A wide margin of error Room to breathe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-babauta/the-point-of-simple-living-for-me-has-got-to-be-a-soft-place-to-land/) [Leo Babauta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-babauta/) > [“Adding little amounts over time makes a huge difference”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-babauta/adding-little-amounts-over-time-makes-a-huge-difference/) [Leo Babauta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-babauta/) > [“time, and make”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-babauta/time-and-make/) [Leo Babauta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-babauta/) > [“Too many people spend money they havenʼt earned, to buy things they donʼt want, to impress people they donʼt like." - Will Rogers”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-babauta/too-many-people-spend-money-they-haven-t-earned-to-buy-things-they/) [Leo Babauta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-babauta/) > [“If your mind isn't clouded by unnecessary things, then this is the best season of your life." - Wu-Men”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-babauta/if-your-mind-isn-t-clouded-by-unnecessary-things-then-this-is-the/) [Leo Babauta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-babauta/) > [“Principle 1: By setting limitations, we must choose the essential. So in everything you do, learn to set limitations.   Principle 2: By choosing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-babauta/principle-1-by-setting-limitations-we-must-choose-the-essential-so-in/) [Leo Babauta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-babauta/) > [“Find a quiet place, and just read. If you’re reading an ebook, clear away everything else but your ebook reader. Then you settle into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-babauta/find-a-quiet-place-and-just-read-if-you-re-reading-an-ebook-clear/) [Leo Babauta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-babauta/) > [“The path to contentment, then, is to stop comparing ourselves to these ideals. Stop judging ourselves. Let go of the ideals. And gradually learn…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-babauta/the-path-to-contentment-then-is-to-stop-comparing-ourselves-to-these/) [Leo Babauta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-babauta/) > [Stop waiting for the right person to come into your life. Be the right person to come to someones life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-babauta/stop-waiting-for-the-right-person-to-come-into-your-life-be-the-right-2/) [Leo Babauta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-babauta/) > [“On Clearing Clutter "Have nothing in your houses that you do not know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful." - William Morris”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-babauta/on-clearing-clutter-have-nothing-in-your-houses-that-you-do-not-know/) [Leo Babauta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-babauta/) > [“On the topic of exercise, "It's just as important as brushing your teeth everyday, more important than watching TV or reading online or answering…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-babauta/on-the-topic-of-exercise-it-s-just-as-important-as-brushing-your/) [Leo Babauta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-babauta/) > [“Such a simplified lifestyle can be truly wonderful - you'll finally have time for the things you really love, for relaxation, for outdoor activities,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-babauta/such-a-simplified-lifestyle-can-be-truly-wonderful-you-ll-finally/) [Leo Babauta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-babauta/) > [“Stop waiting for the right person to come into your life. Be the right person to come to someone’s life”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-babauta/stop-waiting-for-the-right-person-to-come-into-your-life-be-the-right-3/) [Leo Babauta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-babauta/) > [“The way I define happiness is being the creator of your experience, choosing to take pleasure in what you have, right now, regardless of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-babauta/the-way-i-define-happiness-is-being-the-creator-of-your-experience/) [Leo Babauta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-babauta/) [Explore all 34 Leo Babauta quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-babauta/) ## More Anger quotes > [“If I let myself think of it the pain and anger were still fresh, adrenalin racing down my limbs to pool, hot and itchy,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kylie-ladd/if-i-let-myself-think-of-it-the-pain-and-anger-were-still-fresh/) [Kylie Ladd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kylie-ladd/) > [I receive something we might euphemistically call an 'inappropriately hostile' response - that is to say, more than fair criticism or even fair anger…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-beard/i-receive-something-we-might-euphemistically-call-an-inappropriately/) [Mary Beard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-beard/) > [The vision of the left, full of envy and resentment, takes its worst toll on those at the bottom - whether black or white…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-sowell/the-vision-of-the-left-full-of-envy-and-resentment-takes-its-worst/) [Thomas Sowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-sowell/) > [Anger is a rough water; if you can canalize it into a water mill, you can benefit from it. Anything bad can be transformed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/anger-is-a-rough-water-if-you-can-canalize-it-into-a-water-mill-you/) [Mehmet Murat Ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [“Some say the Earth is angry Because he wants no company; I say the Earth is angry Because he lives alone.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/n-k-jemisin/some-say-the-earth-is-angry-because-he-wants-no-company-i-say-the/) [N.K. Jemisin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-k-jemisin/) > [“When you feel terribly angry, you're possessed by anger ghost.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toba-beta/when-you-feel-terribly-angry-you-re-possessed-by-anger-ghost/) [Toba Beta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toba-beta/) > [“Medical studies have shown that cursing reduces levels of stress and pain. Repressing your anger is not healthy. It's much better to verbalize it,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-markus-malloy/medical-studies-have-shown-that-cursing-reduces-levels-of-stress-and/) [Oliver Markus Malloy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-markus-malloy/) > [My care will be in the heart n not in words My anger will be in Words n not in the Heart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritu-ghatourey/my-care-will-be-in-the-heart-n-not-in-words-my-anger-will-be-in-words/) [Ritu Ghatourey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritu-ghatourey/) > [You should be angry. You must not be bitter. Bitterness is like cancer. It eats upon the host. It doesn't do anything to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-angelou/you-should-be-angry-you-must-not-be-bitter-bitterness-is-like-cancer/) [Maya Angelou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-angelou/) > [To be a Negro in this country and to be relatively conscious is to be in a rage almost all the time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/to-be-a-negro-in-this-country-and-to-be-relatively-conscious-is-to-be/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“God, you had enough time to have been through it three times. You've been through my stuff. I bet you over and let one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/god-you-had-enough-time-to-have-been-through-it-three-times-you-ve/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) > [The present contains nothing more than the past, and what is found in the effect was already in the cause.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-bergson/the-present-contains-nothing-more-than-the-past-and-what-is-found-in/) [Henri Bergson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-bergson/) > [Depression is merely anger without enthusiasm.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-wright/depression-is-merely-anger-without-enthusiasm/) [Steven Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-wright/) > [I always fight better when my opponent's angry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-haye/i-always-fight-better-when-my-opponent-s-angry/) [David Haye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-haye/) > [ “Where there are kashays (anger-pride-deceit-greed), there is worldly life. As long as anger-pride-deceit-greed exist; one is a sansaari \[living a worldly life\] regardless of… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dada-bhagwan/where-there-are-kashays-anger-pride-deceit-greed-there-is-worldly/) [Dada Bhagwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dada-bhagwan/) [Browse all 7,469 Anger quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/anger/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“to change our reactions, we must first be aware when these reactions happen. You can’t change them if you’re in automatic mode. Once you notice it, the key thing is not to act — it’s OK to have the feeling, but the action is what is usually destructive. 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