Don't say it

Your significant other, close relative or friend has just said something that you disagree with. Either they are challenging you, baiting you or just trying to get the last word. I'll bet that nine times out of ten that this conversation rates extremely low on the importance scale. You know that if you say what's on the tip of your tongue, further escalation will ensue. This happened to me last week and in that "moment of truth", that second in time where I realized I had a choice to say something or let it go, I decided not to say it. Now that sounds like I chose to do the right thing; however, what I didn't tell is that I smirked. That's right, I smirked.

We'll you know as well as I do that a smirk is just as bad or worse than a retort. Without words I had escalated the disagreement. A mentor of mine shared some sage advice with me years ago. He said that if you really feel that you absolutely must say something. I mean that you literally feel like you are going to burst if you don't say something, that's your cue not to say it.. Don't utter a word, make a noise or any sort of facial expression. Let it pass. Let it go. You'll be a better person for it. That's what I keep telling myself.