Skill

Use STOP

Stop, pause, observe, and choose before acting.

What it is

STOP is a quick interruption skill: Stop, Take a breath, Observe, Proceed deliberately.

How to do it

Stop: do not speak or act for a moment.

Take a breath.

Observe what happened, what you are thinking, what you feel, and what you want to do.

Proceed deliberately.

Remember

You do not need a long pause. You need enough pause to create a choice.

Want to understand this more deeply?

Chapter 4: Step Away Before I React

Read the story and teaching behind this skill, then come back here when you want to practice it.

Give yourself enough time to choose instead of react.

Recognize the sequence early enough to choose a different ending.

Use your breathing to calm your body down.