Reactions — They Happen Too Fast
I saw a post on LinkedIn recently that said: “When tension spikes, control feels safe — but it shuts people down. Real leadership is presence over proving, and listening over fixing.”
True. Logical. Easy to nod along with.
But here’s the problem: when you react, it happens too fast.
A reaction is your system yelling “survival moment!!”
You don’t get the luxury of pausing to breathe, name your feelings, or shift attention to your body.
By the time you’ve had that thought, the horse has already bolted.
That’s how survival is designed. It’s not about nuance or perspective-taking — it’s about moving instantly. You don’t pause to debate with the tiger. You run!
The trouble is most leaders have learned to plaster over that reaction instead of solving it.
They suppress it. They layer on a positive thought, a “just breathe” mantra, or some forced compassion.
I know, because I did exactly that.
The reaction was still there, but I’d trained myself to quickly switch into “understand the other side”.
Helpful on the outside. Destructive on the inside.
Because by doing that, your nervous system is still paying the price.
The stress doesn’t disappear — it just goes underground. And eventually, it leaks out.
- You snap at the people closest to you.
- Your energy’s drained from holding it all together.
- Your performance slips. Calm and clarity vanish.
That’s why the real solution has to go deeper.
Because here’s the thing to realise…
You’re having a threat response when there is no actual threat.
Read that again.
A threat response… when there is no actual threat to your life going on.
That’s the root problem. And that’s the level of problem we need to solve.
Not paper that fact over with reframes, breathing tricks, or better self-talk.
When the reaction is gone.
There’s nothing to solve.
I’m here to solve reactions at that level.
I look forward to meeting you for that.
Revealing the real you,
Helen
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Thank you for following me here and for taking the time to read my posts.
These days I’m hanging out on LinkedIn and YouTube — as a solopreneur I need to prioritise which platforms I’m on.
If you’re a high achieving, capable-on-the-outside leader — but your inside world doesn’t match, I’m the person for you.
However — this is only if you’re up for solving your reactions in a deep, but fast, way.
If that’s you, I’d love to connect further:
Or jump straight in and let’s start solving your reactions.
