Here’s a little confession: I once sent an angry email to the wrong person. Cringe, right? It wasn’t my finest moment. One minute, I was fuming over a late delivery. The next, I was tapping furiously on my keyboard, sending a mini-essay of frustration… to a seller on Amazon. You know, I’m sure we’ve all been there.  It was a reaction, a knee-jerk, emotion-fuelled explosion. But it taught me something: when you live by reactions, you lose control. You’re no longer in the driver’s seat of your life. And who wants to be the backseat passenger of their own story?

We live in a world where reactions are currency. Someone cuts you off in traffic, and boom, there’s the honk. Your boss sends a vague email, and suddenly, you’re thinking "Am I getting fired?" Don’t even get me started on social media. A simple post can send you into a frenzy of likes, comments, and "Wait, are they sub-tweeting me?"  Reactions are easy. They’re quick, unfiltered, and sometimes… regrettable. Decisions, on the other hand, take time, clarity, and dare I say, a little self-discipline.

When life throws a curveball, the magic happens in the pause. That tiny moment when you step back, take a breath, and ask yourself:

• Is this worth my energy?
• What outcome do I actually want?
• Will this matter next week? Next month? Next year?

Pausing is like your personal superpower. It’s the difference between losing control and staying in control.

Decisions, decisions, decisions…

Our life is a collection of decisions. Big ones, like switching careers or moving to a new location. And small ones, like choosing to smile at the barista even when your coffee took 20 minutes. Every decision you make shapes who you are and how you experience the world.

Now, I know what you’re thinking. “Easy for you to say, but my boss/partner/teenager/dog pushes ALL my buttons!” Believe me, I get it. But the truth is, no one else is responsible for how you respond. That’s on you. And yes, it takes practice. Some days, you’ll nail it. Other days, you’ll send an email to the wrong person. But here’s the beauty: every moment is a chance to start again. To make a decision that aligns with your best self. To choose grace over grudges. To step into your power.

So, here’s my challenge to you (and me): let’s decide to live with intention. To pause before we react. To take control of our narrative. Because when you live by decisions, not reactions, life doesn’t just happen to you. You create it. And that, is the ultimate power move.

Now, go out there and decide to have an amazing day. (Bonus points if you pause to appreciate the little things, like not sending emails to the wrong person.) What’s one decision you can make today that will move you closer to the life you want?

Caroline’s daughter, Diahanne XXX