After an unprecedented argument on Friday, 28 February 2020, in front of the cameras, US President Trump and his Ukrainian counterpart Zelensky broke off their meeting in Washington. Trump had previously levelled accusations at Zelenskyi. He said he was risking a third world war.
In light of the current situation, here are three tips on how you can remain calm and confident even in the face of the most violent personal attacks:
Interrupt your inner eruption. The better you can self-regulate, the easier it will be to express your emotions in a way you feel proud of. You can practice responding, not reacting, with simple tools to calm your nervous system:
- Grounding techniques: Count backward from 100, identify five things in the room that are a certain color, or clench and release your muscles.
- Visualization: Imagine a peaceful, calming scene, such as a beach or a forest, and try to picture yourself in that environment.
- Cold exposure: Hold a glass of ice water, suck on an ice cube, or splash your face with cold water.
More in the following Harvard Business Review Article
Vance & Trump attacks Selensky:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=siDLgWjq8Gk
Selensky appears after leaving the White House at FoxNews: https://youtu.be/GfqLcBwUT_E
