Venting

Venting your frustrations and talking through anger can be valuable, but picking the correct person to vent to is important.

• Don’t vent to someone that is going to hold a grudge: if you talk shit about your spouse to your parents, Thanksgiving dinner will be less pleasant.

• Don’t vent to someone that enables you and makes you feel entitled to your bad mood. You want to talk to someone that will challenge you and help you see new perspectives.

• Don’t vent to someone that doesn’t listen and consider what you are saying.

In the end, the best person to vent to is sometimes a journal, to be read later by a rational future you. The venting can then be transformed into a discussion with the person you are venting about, giving them a chance to clarify their actions or at least be aware of what they are doing to frustrate you.