Most of us don’t wake up planning to get offended or to offend someone else. It usually happens right in the middle of a normal, everyday conversation. Someone says something that lands wrong. A tone feels dismissive. A comment brushes against something personal. At first it’s subtle. You’re still listening, still nodding, but something inside tightens. Before long, you’re no longer really hearing them. You’re preparing your response. Not to understand, but to protect yoursel
