How to Overcome the Spirit of Offense
Being offended by other people's remarks, actions, choices, way of life or behavior is very common and almost a norm for some people but, feeling constantly offended is no way to go through life and causes real emotional problems. The word "offense" is used when we feel displeasure caused by someone else's actions or words. This displeasure is usually simply annoying but can lead to a deep sense of resentment and indignation. Keeping grudges against all of the people that have offended you, not only keeps you from being happy, but can affect your mental and spiritual health.
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Instructions
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Listen to what the other person is saying and pay attention to what he is doing. Pay attention to his body language, as it may not reflect the offensive things you feel he is saying. Realize that what the person said may not be aimed specifically at you. It might just be a casual comment and the person who said it may not be aware that you are taking his/her words in such a negative and personal way. In many cases, you may feel offended by a message you misunderstood or which was stated wrongly.
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Check your emotional state to make sure you are not being overly sensitive. An over sensitive person is often affected emotionally in a negative way by the actions of others. People who are oversensitive have a hard time accepting constructive criticism.
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Put yourself in the other person's shoes. Try to understand that the person who has offended you may be having a bad day, and you just came into contact with them at the wrong moment.
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Communicate with the person that you feel offended by. Talk about the issue cordially and in a calm manner, as this can help resolve the issue.
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Remain positive during the offense. Smile and nod and shrug off any negative feelings. Think about something else if you feel offended. Thinking too much about the offense you suffered can bring many more negative feelings; instead, think of positive things.
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Change the subject or remove yourself politely from the conversation of the offending person. Saying something like: "Excuse me, I need to see someone" or "Excuse me for a second, I need to take this phone call" will get you away from the person. Immediately, start thinking of something positive, listen to calming music or simply close your eyes and think of nothing at all for a few minutes. This meditation will put you in the right frame of mind again.
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References
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