Many times in life, at one point or another, there are instances when people say things that are harsh or act in ways that can cause annoyance. For quite some time, whenever such situations occurred, I was being irritated and allowing my emotions to take over. However, it dawned on me that reacting out of frustration just escalated things further. I knew I had to change.

The most difficult personal goal would probably be learning to be composed, calm, and kind—even amidst negativities. I started to become more cognisant, listened to my body language and expressions, and trained myself to respond with happiness instead of irritation. It wasn’t easy, but it became imperative practice in everyday life.

One incident stands out. I was on night duty, and the patient in my care had a addiction to smoking. What surprised me even more was that he was a specialist doctor, fully aware of the risks, yet unable to break free from his habit while undergoing treatment for a life-threatening disease. Despite this, I could sense his strong confidence, and I believed he would survive. It was my responsibility to ensure his safety, so I took him outside for a smoke break around midnight. When we returned, my colleague was very annoyed with the patient, primarily because of his smoking habit, as he needed to take his important medication before bed. To my surprise, the patient responded with such politeness and joy that it completely diffused the tension.

When I asked him how he could keep so calm, he smiled and said, “This is the secret: when someone is angry, if you respond with kindness, in time they will feel ashamed of their behavior.”

That was the moment when I had an epiphany: a lesson it taught me is that sometimes the power of a calm response and kindness could turn around even the most impossible situations. Though challenging, this personal goal has helped me to grow and bring more peace into my life.

Mastery over our emotions is rarely easy but probably is one of the most rewarding goals I ever set for myself.