Check yourself before you wreck yourself

Some of you may be familiar with the saying "Check yourself before you wreck yourself." For those who have not, it means we all get into habits where we may be doing things that don't benefit ourselves or those around us. Or worse, things that we do or say harm others. So it's a reminder to check in with yourself and be honest with how you operate and treat others.
There are times when we all react out of fear or anger. We don't stop to think about what we do or say and it ends up affecting others. Take, for example, you get mad at someone, and instead of saying, "Hey, you hurt my feelings," you shut down and go silent. The silent treatment is actually a form of abuse. Research shows that it actually causes physical pain to those who experience it. Communicate even if you don't know what to say. Saying "I don't know what to say right now, may we talk later?" is far better and doesn't make the situation worse. It just says "let's talk when we are calm and our heads are clear." Set a time to reconvene and stick to it, try it and see where it gets you. Ask yourself, "Is what I'm saying helpful?" or just hurtful. Fight fair. Don't swear or call names. You have to be vulnerable to others if they are going to do the same. Remember you have the same goal. State your issue and let the other person know you need their help to fix it. Good luck and fight fair!