There is a space between stimulus and response. But how can that be? It's like this - there's a stimulus (something you see, hear, smell, or touch) and an automatic response that gets your attention. After that there is a space. The space is in between your autonomic nervous system response and what you choose to do. The automatic body response is useful, because it calls our attention to what's been important in the past. You can make that space bigger by practicing mindfulness, bringing yourself to the present moment.