“Ev’ry action has its equal, opposite reactions
Thanks to Hamilton, our cab’net’s fractured into factions
Try not to crack under the stress, we’re breaking down like fractions”
These are lyrics spoken by Thomas Jefferson in the extraordinary Lin-Manuel Miranda hip-hop musical about the founding of America.
That first line references one of the fundamental rules in physics – Newton’s third law of motion: Every action has an equal, opposite reaction. It means there are always two forces acting on two interacting objects. You push against a wall; the wall pushes back with equal force.
But even in physics, rules can be broken – if you’re interested, there’s an article here that explains it.
And emotions are not physics. They are subjective and volatile. When we can recognise and name them, we have some control over them.
I had a mantra pinned over my desk once when I was in a very stressful job. It read Every reaction is optional. It was a personal reminder that I did not have to react (or respond) each time I received an infuriating call or email. I couldn’t control what was said to me – the actions of others. But I could absolutely choose my own reactions.
I’ve put it back above my desk this week. It has helped.