You cannot control others' emotions but you can control your own
CK Taneja, Ph.D.
Operational Excellence & Innovation Vanguard | Strategic Agile Transformation Leader | Change Management Master | Continuous Improvement Catalyst | Resiliency Coach
If you have difficulty remaining unaffected by someone’s behavior, take a moment to breathe deeply and remind yourself that you didn’t do anything wrong, and you aren’t responsible for people’s feelings. If you can see that this person is indirectly expressing a need to you—whether they are reaching out for help or wanting to be heard—you may be able to diffuse the attack by getting them to talk about what is really bothering them.
You cannot control other people’s emotions, but you can control your own. If you sense yourself responding to their negativity, try not to let yourself. Keep your heart open to them, and they may let go of their defensiveness and yield to your compassion and openness.