Being True to the Best You Know

Whenever I find myself uncertain about a decision, I ask myself what path is consistent with the best inside of me.  There are a lot of things that can justify a negative response: someone cuts in front of you in line, a friend cancels plans, a family member speaks rudely to you, the person you're dating blows you off--there are a million examples of things we encounter every day.  Often I want to say something short-tempered, to "stick up for myself" and protect my ego or put the person in their place or wound back when I have been wounded.  I've found it very effective to take a deep breath and ask myself, "What can I do now that is true to the best that I know?"  The answer is always crystal clear.  Usually doesn't provide the short-term satisfaction of sniping back at someone who snipes you first, but long-term, the truth inside of you is always right.  Diffusing tense situations, behaving in ways I can later be proud of, and learning to control my impulses all, at the end of the day, make me feel better about myself.  Often situations are still painful (it never feels good to get dumped or told off by someone you care about or treated disrespectfully), but we can double the pain we feel in such situations by behaving in ways that don't mesh with the best inside our hearts.