Rate the Intensity Before You React

Not every emotional spike deserves the same response. A 3-out-of-10 irritation and a 9-out-of-10 rage feel similar in the first second, but they call for completely different reactions.

Before you respond, silently rate what you're feeling on a scale from one to ten. The number itself slows you down enough to think, and it usually reveals that the situation deserves a 4 while your reaction was already gearing up for a 9.