The "fight or flight response" is our body's primitive, automatic, inborn response that prepares the body to "fight" or "flee" from perceived attack, harm or threat to our survival. (source)
Actually this kind of response is manifested in our daily lives. Whenever we are faced with troubles and problems, do we choose to face it or run away?
For all my life, i've been doing the latter.
Yes, i ran away from problems, even though on the surface it seems like i've always been the strong one to face it.
I had this realisation over the past few days, thanks to LF who pointed out to me.
When i was back in high school, i could not stand the strict school disciplines and lack of freedom. I chose to go overseas after Senior II, when there was still one more year to go before graduation.
After the break-up with my first boyfriend, i couldn't endure the pain of staying in JB where every places that we had been to would remind me of him. I chose to go over to SG to work.
Whenever i was unhappy at work for whatever reasons, i looked for a new job and made myself looked like a job hopper.
So you see, i handled every important things in my life by running away from the problems. I looked back now and realised that what kind of a weakling i am.
The flight response took charge again this time initially, when the first reaction i had when i discovered the affair was to end the marriage, find a job overseas and leave SG.
But now, i decided to change.
I think to myself, perhaps this is the time, after 34 years of my life, to really change myself, to become a stronger and better person. If everything happens for a reason, i'd think probably this is it.
Yes, perhaps the Almighty one wants me to go through this hardship to learn something good from it. I should start facing the adversities in life and learn how to fight back.
If life knocks us down, do i just stay down, run away, or stand up and fight against it?
The first is never my choice, as i told myself that i cannot and will not live a degenerated and dissipated life, for doing that will only hurt the people i love and who love me.
The second choice is the one that i had been doing all the time, as it is easy and offers fast remediation, which may or may not really solve the problems.
The last choice is the hardest, most painful and with the highest risk. I may or may not succeed, and the time taken may be long and the road may be winding; yet, the reward may be the sweetest.
Yes, i will fight against it this time -- i will face the problem and solve it, whether the solution is to carry on by myself or to be with my loved one.
No giving up this time.
Labels: introspection
