I observed a very particular thing in a choral group that I was part of while I was in school. One of the lead singers and the choir leader had a fallout. This caused both of them to engage in some very hot and heated argument, while the lead singer believed she was right. Out of anger, she made some very nasty remarks to the leader and walked away without thinking. When everywhere was settled, she started regretting her words and her actions. Her reaction damaged her position in the choir. She was the favourite to be elected into the leadership position, but this made her chances to grow very slim and people was not ready to vote for her. All these could have been avoided if she had thought first before reacting. ![pexels-tima-miroshnichenko-8727404.jpg](https://images.hive.blog/DQmPJQ4tWMzNCQ8M3vzLGAs3QAY4VaMGmZR9ywMwL6ZKivS/pexels-tima-miroshnichenko-8727404.jpg) _{Image from [Pexels](https://www.pexels.com/photo/young-woman-in-green-t-shirt-with-hand-at-chin-near-dark-green-background-8727404)} One of the greatest signs that show that someone is mature and that they have self-control is the ability to think before reacting. In life, there are some situations that may arise that will trigger very strong emotions; emotions like anger, frustration, fear, excitement, or even disappointment. But reacting on the spot without first thinking about it carefully can easily lead one to mistakes, regrets, and damaged relationships. The ability to pause a while and think before acting will protect your peace, improve your decisions, and will even make you to act well, and improved your character. You will be surprised how lots of people react out of emotions and not through wisdom. Speaking harshly and rudely out of anger. Or when they are offended, they can act on impulse. Even when they feel pressured, they can make rushed decisions. Acting on emotions may seem satisfying at the moment to the person, but what they may not understand is that it may come with long-term consequences. A few careless or harsh words that someone says out of anger can damage the relationship and the trust that has taken them years to build. It is when you think before you react that will enable you to respond with wisdom, not with emotions. It even gives you time to understand the situation better, then you will also consider the potential consequences of your actions and know if it will be worth it or if you need to choose another response. More often than not, the reactions that people give out of emotions may not be worth it in the long run. A calm response has the benefits of producing a better result than the reaction you give on impulse. Each time you feel the impulse to react out of emotions, just take a moment to think about your reaction first. ![pexels-theo-decker-5447786.jpg](https://images.hive.blog/DQmWipKnuN1FXYupA9jqZJPNBa2oCjUdYKRr4RDJ4GyAL3g/pexels-theo-decker-5447786.jpg) _{Image from [Pexels](https://www.pexels.com/photo/close-up-of-a-man-wearing-eyeglasses-and-his-hand-on-his-chin-5447786)} One of the benefits of thinking before you react is that it prevents conflict. A lot of conflicting situations would have been prevented if one or the parties involved took out time to think before responding. Many arguments and misunderstanding grow worse quickly, simply because people react too quickly without listening, thinking, or understanding. Some people even react based on assumptions, and not on the understanding of the facts. More so, taking a moment to think can prevent unnecessary tension even in relationships, and also help to strengthen it. When you think before you act, it also allows you to make better decisions. Emotions can becloud or influence one's sense of judgement especially during stressful moments. Someone may make decisions hastily out of anger, or fear, or even stress, which become harmful or cause some negative consequences. This kind of consequences does not only come from negative emotions alone, but also from extreme positive emotions like excitement. For example, someone can make some very reckless choice out of excitement that will come back to harm them in the future. This is why you have to think first, and do not allow your emotions to determine your actions for you. Try to have patience and self-control, and know that it is not everything that you should say or do, and know the right timing for each. A few minutes of pause that you take before you act can be what will save you from a lifestyle of regret. More so, what shows that you are mature is the amount of self-control you give to yourself, and how you prevent yourself from acting on impulse or out of emotions. ***Thanks for reading***

Peace on y'all

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First divide then multiple