8 Steps to Deal with Irrational People

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The following steps are very useful for dealing with irrational people. As a coach I am in complete agreement with this article I read via Oprah.com and I wanted to share it with you!

The most effective kind of pause has eight steps. Here’s what you need to walk through in your mind in order to keep poised and in control, despite what the irrational person is saying.

Step 1: Physical Awareness

Identify and pinpoint the physical sensations you’re feeling right now. Complete this sentence: “Right now, I’m physically feeling _________________.”

Fill in the blank with whatever physical sensation you’re feeling (for instance, “a knot in my stomach” or “tension

in my head”).

Step 2: Emotional Awareness

Attach an emotion to the physical sensation. Complete the sentence: “And now I’m feeling

_________________.” Fill in the blank with the emotion you’re feeling, noting how intensely you’re feeling it

(for example, “very angry”), to completely capture your emotion in words.

Step 3: Impulse Awareness

Put your impulse into words.
Complete this sentence: “This feeling makes me want to _________________.”
Fill in the blank with your immediate emotional reaction. (For example, “Tell my mother I hate her.”)

Step 4: Consequence Awareness

Give yourself a reality check before you do something you’ll regret.

Complete this sentence: “If I respond this way, what’s likely to happen is _________________.” Fill in the

blank with all the possible consequences (for example, “I’ll feel better for a moment and then feel guilty or

embarrassed afterward”).

Step 5: Insight Awareness

Gain insight into the situation and your own response to it.

Complete this sentence: “Now that I’m a little calmer, I can see that I might be overreacting or taking the

situation too personally in this way: _________________.”

Fill in the blank, identifying any misconceptions you might have (for example, you might say, “I took what my

mother said far too personally, when she was just trying to point my attention to a behavior I really do need to

correct”).

Step 6: Solution Awareness

Come up with a better solution than what you were going to impulsively do. Complete this sentence: “A better thing to do would be_________________.”

Fill in the blank with something that might work out better (for example, “to take a deep breath and agree with

my mother, but tell her that I’ll react better in the future if she doesn’t use a scolding tone and I’d appreciate

her trying to do that”).

Step 7: Benefit Awareness

Say to yourself what the benefit will be if you use that strategy. Complete this sentence: “If I try that better

strategy, the benefits will be _________________.” Fill in the blank, listing as many benefits as possible (for

example, “We won’t get into an argument, my mother will feel validated and I will feel more assertive about what

I need from her”).

Step 8: “Let’s Go” Awareness

Commit to taking action.

Fill in the blank: “Now that I did the first seven steps, what I am going to do is _________________.” (For

example, “try what I came up with in Step 6 and not wait for another argument to tell my mother how to give me

constructive criticism in the future.”)

Staying in control during a conversation with an irrational person — or during any life crisis — is hard, especially

at first. That’s because you need to remain calm, even as you’re experiencing a nearly overwhelming urge to

give in to anger or fear. But if you’re serious about successfully talking to crazy, these eight steps are game

changers. So make an effort to practice them every day, especially right before you meet with an irrational

person. Talking to crazy is an Olympic-level skill, and you’ll be less likely to experience defeat if you exercise

beforehand and develop some serious mental muscle.

Read more: http://www.oprah.com/inspiration/how-to-deal-with-the-irrational-people#ixzz64MJrY9U8