I know what you are thinking.

Someone has annoyed you.

And now you want to do something about it.

Don’t.

Pride makes terrible advisers.

It tells you that you must respond immediately. That you must prove something. That you cannot possibly let the insult go unanswered.

And suddenly you are making a permanent decision because someone made you angry for ten minutes.

Absolutely not.

Defend yourself when it matters.

But choose your response when you are calm enough to choose it well.

Ask yourself one question.

“If nobody else ever knew what I chose, would I still do it?”

Yes.

If the answer is no, you may not be protecting yourself.

You may simply be trying to make someone watch you win.

Nothing.

Unless winning their attention costs you something you actually value.