Hold the phone: When you want to lash out.

Let’s be honest, sometimes you want to go the F off. Like, full-on unleash every thought, every insult, every truth bomb you’ve been holding in for way too long. Maybe it’s your ex pushing your buttons (again). Maybe it’s their new partner trying too hard. Maybe it’s just the universe testing your patience one text at a time.

Whatever the trigger, you feel that familiar burn, the urge to fire back, to let them have it. No matter what triggers it, that familiar burning sensation arises—the urge to respond aggressively, to confront them, to finally get your words in. However, the key point is: just because you're able to react doesn’t mean you always should.to finally “say your piece.” But here’s the thing: just because you can, doesn’t mean you should.

There’s something to be said for restraint. Not silence — let’s be clear — but a strategic ere’s there's something to be said for restraint. Not silence — let’s be clear — but a strategic pause. That deep breath before you respond. That walk around the block before you type.

That draft text you write, reread, and delete. It’s not a weakness. It’s a strength. It’s control. NOW Pause and Breathe.. That walk around the block before you type. That draft text you write, reread, and delete. It’s not a weakness. Its strength. It’s control.

Holding back when you’re hurt, angry, or disrespected isn’t about letting anyone get away with anything; it’s about not giving them control over your peace. Because when you lash out, you hand them the remote to your emotions. And they don’t deserve that kind of access anymore.

Take that energy you wanted to spend crafting the perfect comeback and put it into something that actually fuels you — journaling, working out, calling a friend, even just screaming in the car (no judgment). Get it out privately, not publicly.

In the aftermath of a breakup or divorce, it’s easy to get caught up in proving you’ve moved on, you’re unbothered, or you’re “doing better.” But the real flex? Being so grounded that you don’t even need to prove it.

So hold back. Not because they deserve your silence, but because you deserve your peace.