BY TINA FEY
When someone puts you down, it's best to pause, resist the urge to retaliate, and take a moment to regain composure by turning away, taking a deep breath, and counting to five before responding.
When faced with someone putting you down, you have several options: you can respond with a simple "Thank you for your opinion" to disarm them, consider acknowledging some truth in their comment with "Thank you, you may be right," humorously dismiss their words and walk away, or be honest about how their comment hurt you to educate them about the impact of their words.
If someone consistently puts you down, calmly confront them, express your displeasure with their negative remarks, and ask them to reconsider their behavior, repeating as needed until they understand your perspective.
If you're not confrontational, you can choose to ignore their comments entirely, continuing the conversation as if they never spoke, which can defuse their power and potentially discourage them from further negativity, although there may be instances where addressing the issue becomes necessary.
If someone consistently belittles you in public, consider approaching others who have witnessed it and ask for their support in addressing the issue, as an outsider speaking up can often be more effective in deterring further negativity.