Bad day, bad boss, bad relationship. Sometimes life throws you a curveball and you are quick to react. In many instances, your reaction can make things worse. Which is why it’s so important you understand how to approach each situation. There’s an old analogy, the buffalo and the cow, which discusses the dissimilar instinctive reactions that these animals take when faced with the dangers of an approaching storm.
The Storm
As the storm approaches, the cows’ natural reaction is to flee and get as far away as they possibly can. The caveat however, cows are slow, and sooner or later they are caught. Despite this, they still continue to run as they are consumed by the storm. While initially their response to avoid potential danger seems reasonable, the short term benefits lead to long-term distress.
The buffalo on the other hand, responds in a completely counterintuitive manner, turning towards the storm. It charges into the threat, the buffalo is able to pass through the storm and come out the other side. Had the cow taken a similar approach to the buffalo, or even stood still as the storm passed, the time in which they were under duress would not compare to the suffering it endured running away from the storm.
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Fight or Flight
The subconscious flight or flight responses are not so much decisions as they are natural reactions. However, we as humans have the ability to choose how we react to the “storms” we encounter in our day-to-day lives.
The lesson of the story isn’t to encourage conflict or constant confrontation, but rather move towards whatever it is that is making you uncomfortable. By welcoming that discomfort we are heading face first into the triggers, anxieties, and fears that block us from reaching our potential in both our personal and professional endeavours. Despite the short-term affliction, over time we inherit this feeling of solace within previously uncomfortable situations, bidding way to the hurdles, and allowing us to become our most authentic selves
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Feature image by Ivan Samkov
