As human beings, we all have an idea in our heads about the way things should be and how people act.
Unfortunately, this is a main reason for why relationships between people deteriorate.
We get frustrated when things don’t go our way, we expect our friends and family to act in a certain way, strangers to be more polite and so on.
When reality hits us and everyone seem to do the opposite of what we want, we react in an exaggerate way: we get angry, stressed, we cry and we fight.
What can you do to stop this?
First of all, you have to breathe. You can’t control everything, especially not the way others act. Instead, you can control the way you react to these situations.
When you feel like you’re about to break, take a deep breath, it will release tension and eliminate anxiety, so you’ll be able to have constructive solutions to any problem.
Take some breaks. Don’t think of the worse scenario when something goes wrong. If someone is acting irrationally, don’t do the same!
It will only make things worse. Instead, take a break, collect your thoughts and let the other person do the same.
Also, you have to learn how to respect other people’s opinion. Just because someone has a different opinion than yours, it doesn’t mean that they’re wrong.
There are many roads to what’s good in this world. Everyone has a right to an opinion. Accept the fact that you can’t always agree with everybody.
You have to learn the art of compassion. When you know how to put yourself in another’s person shoes, to understand their feelings, it will be easier for you to understand why they’re acting in a certain way.
Don’t talk just to hear your voice. Don’t say things that you’re going to regret 5 minutes later. Your anger starts from within, so you’re the one who can stop it before it’s too late. Instead of saying something mean, learn to speak less and appreciate silence when it’s needed.
Lastly, this is one of my favorite tricks of them all. When you’re in a middle of a fight with someone and a bad thought about them crosses your mind, add “just like me” at the end of the sentence. For example, “He’s so stubborn…just like me, sometimes”.
When you’re fighting, it’s hard to see that you have a person in front of you, who makes mistakes, just like you and everybody else.
Thanks for reading!