When you are involved in a dispute with someone else, it may be the only time doing nothing is better than doing something. There’s a practical reason for this: When you quarrel with others — even if you win the argument — you place a great deal of unnecessary stress upon yourself. It is impossible to maintain a Positive Mental Attitude when you allow negative emotions such as anger or hate to dominate your thoughts. No one can upset you or make you angry unless you allow them to do so. Instead of arguing with others, try asking nonthreatening questions, such as, “Why do you feel this way? What have I done to make you angry? What can I do to help?” You may find that the entire situation has resulted from a simple misunderstanding that can be quickly rectified. Even if problems are more serious, your positive behavior will go a long way toward helping resolve them.
