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Welcome back to Dying Every Day. This is Day 138.

Most conflicts begin with a story we tell ourselves.

“They meant to insult me.”

“They knew this would hurt.”

“They’re trying to undermine me.”

The mind fills in motives. In seconds, the event feels personal, intentional, and almost malicious. Once that story takes hold, anger seems justified. The Roman emperor Marcus Aurelius interrupts that story with a different question. [...]

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Day 138: Respond with Reason, Not Retaliation | Dying Every Day