Conversations are like Tennis | @caroline-cavanagh | The Anxiety Alchemist

So this fear of judgment thing, we all have it. And I like to think of a conversation or an interaction with someone else a bit like a tennis match. You serve, and you can decide if you're going to serve the ball really aggressively, or you're just going to nice do a dink over the net. But as soon as that ball's left your racket, you can't control how it's going to come back. That's the judgment that's made by the other person. They may beautifully dink it back and you get this nice little rally, or they may just go, right, stuff that, and it comes flying back at you. That's a reflection on them, not you. However, the ball's coming back to you. You get to choose again. How do you continue playing the game? You can— No, I just want to play nicely. You can smash it back at them. Or ultimately, you can put your racket down and leave the court. Other people's behavior is their choice. Your choice is your response, and ultimately, you can always walk away altogether. Be in control.