Before you respond in anger — write.

As early as 1850, Anna Fyodorovna Tyutcheva wrote down a simple yet remarkably insightful piece of advice.

When someone hurts, angers, or disappoints you, take a few sheets of paper and write down everything you would like to say to them.

On the first page, there will be anger.
On the second — self-pity.
By the third, you will begin to look at the other person from a distance.
And by the fourth, an uncomfortable thought may arise:

“Perhaps I’m not entirely right either.”

Keep writing until there is nothing left to say.

When you finish, you may discover that what seemed enormous only moments before has lost much of its power. The emotions have settled, and the need for revenge or the last word has disappeared.

Tyutcheva advised burning the pages afterward.

Today, we find a similar principle in expressive writing techniques used in psychology.

Paper can take everything.
Fire can end it.
And you won’t have to repair the damage caused by words spoken in anger.

@OnlyFaithOverFear