Reacting versus responding

It occurs to me, in this sixty-fourth year of my life, that only now have I begun to respond to my life. My past life has been a long, paralyzing series of reactions. Reactions being that which is instantaneous, requiring little thought, 99% of the time wrong or off-base, straight out of default mode, and mostly based on what I've always done (which was typically what someone else told me should be done).

Reactions are so deeply entrenched in me that I have to remind myself that they are only a habit and can be changed. Changing habits requires going through a process, and the process begins by simply noticing. No judging allowed. Judging myself is another habit and it's mostly reaction, so I'm working on that at the same time.