Have you ever been the victim of a personal, verbal attack? Silly question, eh?

Even the most sainted among us has been on the receiving end of this lashing of tongue.

For whatever the reason, it can come at the most inappropriate of times, like say the holidays.

As the old axiom goes, “forewarned is forearmed.”

The best defense of such an attack is biting your tongue. It’s less harmful to you than a retaliation of biting remarks, and it gives you the opportunity to bring what’s needed to the interaction – Charity.

It’s my personal experience that personal attacks come from wounded people. They are genuinely hurting.

You may or may not be the source of their hurt, but that will not be obvious to them; you are their target. It must be obvious to you that only a hurting person attacks. This advance knowledge will help to avoid the downward spiral that most personal attacks lead to.

This is not a recommendation to avoid standing up for yourself; it’s more of a suggestion to save it for another day.

One of my favorite quotes from Dr. Robert Anthony rings out like a caroler’s bell when I experience such an onslaught: “You’re never upset for the reason you think.” That may or may not always be true, but it’s a good starting point.

If you can view your attacker as being wounded, you are less likely to take them on if you recognize they are temporarily blinded and crippled with emotion. Remember: Even the tamest dog can bite. This decision not to engage is the biggest, charitable contribution you can make this holiday season or any season.

“Let there be peace on earth and let it begin with me” is more than a song we hear around the holidays; it’s a prescription for dealing with a wounded attacker.

They were upset before you even showed up. You just conveniently happened to be the last straw on the camel’s heiny.

It’s difficult not to take a personal attack personally. It takes courage to be the adult in the room when this happens and I’m not telling you it’s easy, only necessary if you want any chance at future peace.

The attack they are launching at you is a pin prick compared to the gash they are feeling in their heart. See if you can find it in your heart to turn the other cheek.

All the best,

John

LOSE WEIGHT & KEEP IT OFF
STOP SMOKING FOREVER
SLEEP THROUGH THE NIGHT EVERY NIGHT
IMPROVE YOUR SELF CONFIDENCE
I LOVE MY BODY
RELAX IN 2 MINUTES
FEEL FOREVER YOUNG
VIRTUAL MASSAGE