Have you ever had a day when you were upset at someone, for something they did? Once while shopping I became frustrated and irritated with a salesclerk. In my mind I believed I was being overcharged according to the sticker price. In the clerks mind my bill was accurate. As I questioned the clerk, it appeared that she became frustrated with me, her voice and facial expressions changed very quickly. This conversation lasted for about four minutes, finally I said you are right and I am wrong. For the sake of a long winded argument, I was going to take this one.

Everyday we deal with situations, that can effect how we react to people, whether it is someone on our job, family member, neighbor, or a boyfriend/girlfriend. Now the clerk was doing her job and I was doing my job as a "consumer" right? I mean we are suppose to be the one who is always right! We have seen the signs that says "customer's first", or the sign that says "we listen to our customers." Right? WRONG!! In that window of time, I allowed my emotions to come to the front line and speak, even though I was upset, I didn't fly off the handle, I remained cool, but my tone with the clerk was firm. I believed I was right and I was standing for what I believed to be accurate. In that moment, I stopped and I apologized to the clerk for my irrational behavior. By me apologizing she calmed down.......and yes we were able to solve the situation.

Too many fights are used with harsh words backed by strong emotions. My great-grandmother use to tell us, "never go to bed mad at someone, you never know when it is their or even your last time here on earth." Those words of Mama Nannie still ring in my ear to this day!

Sometimes you have to take a step back and re-evaluate the situation, what is it that the person is saying and does it hold any truth. In other words am I reacting because of someone else's reaction or I am confident in my beliefs that I stand firm in what I am saying?

Today's thought: Keep a level head and always remember, that no one is perfect and sometimes you and the other person could be wrong as well as right. The best way to solve any problem is through clear communication. Yes, stand firm in what you believe but also respect the beliefs others!