I’ll just say it—life can be hard. It can be one of the greatest challenges moving forward through tough or painful situations with your head held high as you portray an air of grace and elegance. We’ve all felt that overwhelming urge to scream or throw something, but sometimes we can show our strength by simply moving past that urge and demonstrating true grace. This has been foremost in my mind recently, as I’ve been dealing with a narcissist. You could be dealing with one yourself. Perhaps a boss is treating you unfairly, or you are living in a situation that is making you lose your patience. There are countless ways that your patience can be tested in day-to-day life, and our base instincts may kick in and push us to react poorly. But instead of acting on impulse when you’re feeling at your lowest or most angry, perhaps try a meditation to invite grace into your life. Try to work through the situation in your mind and seamlessly push it out so you can respond with grace. Being the bigger person is never easy, but sometimes it can be necessary. Here’s how I’ve been getting through my days once I’m at the end of my rope.

First, I find somewhere comfortable to sit or lie back and meditate. There are countless healing meditations you can use to do this, but I love the Timer section of the Expand app. I either set the signals to Relaxation & Healing or to any specific focus level I’m feeling at the time. From there, I simply breath in and out, slowly gaining control of my emotions. I imagine a healing energy entering me with each inhale, and see the stress and tension gently float out with each exhale. For a few minutes, I’ll try to exist in a space of mindfulness as I feel myself healing with each inhale and releasing that which no longer serves me on each exhale.

We’ve all felt that overwhelming urge to scream or throw something, but sometimes we can show our strength by simply moving past that urge and demonstrating true grace.

After sitting for a few minutes collecting myself, I find a mantra that will resonate with me and help me perfectly in this situation. Perhaps it’s “I am enough,” or “I am above this, and will react with grace.” After this mantra becomes engrained in me, I will try to rationalize through how much someone else must be hurting to, in turn, hurt me. I will try to see things from their perspective, as best I can. I will try to release the frustrations and invite forgiveness, and I will try to manifest a future in which we are coexisting in harmony, where everyone wins. As I leave the meditation, feeling better and stronger than when I started, I will try to return to my day more motivated and positive.

It's not easy to keep people from getting to us. It’s hard to wish well for others, yet see them self-destruct and potentially hurt you on purpose. As I said above, the world is a difficult place. Life is hard. We can’t control most of the outside factors around us, but we can control how we react. And I’ve found that, personally, being the bigger person and reacting with grace is the sure way to walk away feeling as best you can in a bad situation.