Silence is golden: 5 situations in which it is better to keep your mouth shut

In life, we often find ourselves in situations where it is extremely difficult not to react. Especially if we are someone just stepped on a blister. But in tense and complex situations it is never good to react intensely. That's when it's smartest take a deep breath for a few seconds and think about your reaction and its consequences: will make things better - then it is appropriate, will make things worse - then rather not. We present to you five situations in which it is you better keep quiet, rather than making the situation worse.

1. You would offend or hurt the interlocutor

If you find yourself in a tense dialogue with someone who is close to you or means something to you, it is better to remain silent at this moment than to say too much and offend the person. You need to realize that this relationship extends beyond the current fight and you may regret it soon because you will not be able to take back the words you say. So take a deep breath and count to five, and then try to handle the situation without taking offense.

2. We would make the interlocutor even more angry

When someone is in their bubble of anger, it is very difficult for them to think rationally about what you say to them. That's why it's better say less and choose the right words than to anger the opponent even more. In those moments, it is better to listen carefully to the interlocutor and allow him to slowly reduce his anger, rather than to inflame it further. When you see that the person has calmed down, try to say your side in a non-aggressive way.

3. We would make ourselves even more angry

Hitting back at the person who just upset you would only increase strong negative emotions like anger. Therefore, it is better to use your self-awareness to prevent your anger from rising to an uncontrollable level, because this is not good for you or your interlocutor. Always try to keep your blood calm, even when it seems impossible. Deep breaths help.

4. They would act closed-minded and irrational

If someone gives you constructive criticism, it's better to put your ego aside at that moment and listen to what they have to say. Although it is not said that the criticism given is really constructive, it is listen and try not to take it too personally. Maybe the interlocutor only wants the best for you, so really objectively assess the situation before attacking him for insulting you. Otherwise, you would be the one who is closed to criticism and irrational, and your interlocutor only wanted to help you.

5. The interlocutor would get what he wanted

It often happens that someone pushes us into a conflict situation just to make us angry. Of course, making someone angry is one of the easiest things, you just have to know what hurts them the most and brings them to the screaming stage the fastest. When you see someone inviting you to a conflict, think about what could be the reason for doing this. If you see he's just looking for a fight, be the bigger person and don't give him what he's looking for, because that would only hurt yourself.