Executive coach Dr. Marcia Reynolds notes on Psychology Today that we should save our energy for serious fights instead of wasting it on everyone who annoys us even slightly. Minor conflicts aren’t worth getting stormy about, even if we might want to teach someone a well-earned lesson.

According to Dr. Reynolds if you “shift your attention elsewhere” and remove the energy from the fight, you might surprise the person who’s currently making your life a living hell. It’s a different path that’s available to us: instead of making the person go into their defensive mode and stick to their story, now they’re wondering what exactly is going on.

Body language, however, is just as important as our words. “Manage your non-verbal behavior. If you are going to stay out of the fight, don't roll your eyes, mutter under your breath, or make an ugly face as you turn away. You are still sparking the fire with your gestures,” Dr. Reynolds explains.

“The best thing to do is take a big breath, let it out slowly, and focus on breathing comfortably. You are strong when you control your reactions. The disrespect the person is showing has nothing to do with you personally.”

Dr. Reynolds also points out that our health is far more important than putting someone in their rightful place. Sure, you might rant a bit, but you’re likely to fail to convince someone to change their ways. And the one who suffers is you because now you’re full of anger and hate. Choose to react differently, even if your instincts say otherwise.

By the way, Pandas, if you’re in the mood for some more examples of annoying behavior that’ll make you wonder how any of us manage to get along at all, you ought to check out Bored Panda’s previous articles here, here, here, and here.