How To Keep Your
Cool
When
Conversations Get
MELISSA HULL
Heated
FOUNDER, TV HOST, PRODUCER, SPEAKER, AUTHOR, CONSULTANT
Copyright by Melissa Hull
Here’s something we all need to remember this week: How to keep your cool when conversations get heated. Tensions are high, and in the coming days, we can only expect them to rise even higher. But that doesn’t mean you have to give up your peace – no matter how heated a situation may get. Many people all around the country are going into this week filled with stress, frustration, passion, and intensity. That doesn’t mean you have to, too. In fact, it’s possible to be just as passionate and firm in your beliefs without contributing to the conflict and tension – or worse – getting caught up in a heated conversation that triggers you to lose your cool. That’s why, this week, I wanted to talk about a few tools to keep your cool when conversations get ultra-heated. Identify Your Goal Before we dive into the specific tools that help me keep my cool in heated situations, I wanted to take a second to set the foundation for a peaceful and productive mindset. Let’s clarify our goals here.
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Yes, you want to go into this week with a clear mind – but also a prepared mind. Don’t be naive and think that you’re going to change others’ viewpoints by having a battle of opinions at this point in the game. That’s where people get into trouble. Instead, settle for a new goal: to walk away with your peace still intact. How do you do that? It’s the difference between talking WITH someone and talking AT someone. The difference is subtle, but it’s also drastic in the best possible way. So, let’s dive in. How To Keep Your Cool When Conversations Get Heated
1. Check your ego First thing’s first. If you want others to engage with you in a positive, meaningful way, then you need to make sure that’s how YOU are engaging with others. The first step is to check your own ego. What are your ego triggers? Know them, so you can be prepared to stay calm if someone brings them up. Oftentimes, we want to offer our opinions in a forceful way. But if we can take the ego out of our conversations, then we can focus on what the productive action might be. What positive results can come from this? Sometimes it’s simply to respectfully end the conversation and move on. Other times, it might be to acknowledge another person’s
