Knee jerk reactions refer to reactions of people when they do not think it through before giving out a reaction that is unexpected. In such situations, it can be very hurtful for the person on the receiving end of it. From cold to anger to a joke that’s hurtful, knee jerk reactions can be anything. At the base of knee jerk reactions is the absence of thought and hence such is the result. However, in such situations, the reaction of the person on the other end is to take offence – which is very natural. And they may also react in a similar way leading to a conflict. But with little mindfulness this can be avoided.
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Therapist Elizabeth Earnshaw addressed this and shared a few tips for people on the receiving end of knee jerk reactions and noted down a few things that they can do in such situations:
Mindful: We should instantly be mindful of our own reactions. We should not combat knee jerk reactions with another knee jerk reactions. Instead, we should be mindful of their situation and try to sober it down by having a neutral reaction to it.
Breathe: Some knee jerk reactions can be very hurtful for us. In such cases, it is important to stop and breathe. We should pause and reflect and then act accordingly.
Choice: It is natural to have a desire to instantly combat a knee jerk reaction with something similar. However, we should notice the desire as fast as we can and then consciously make efforts in changing the reaction by choice and behaving differently.
Boundary: We should always know when to set boundaries for ourselves. In such situations, when it gets difficult to react, we should make the other person understand our boundaries and also let them know to never cross them. That way, we will have a limit for others.