It can be really hard to take the high road. Life is constantly throwing you curveballs, and you're doing your best to swerve with everything coming your way. A big thing to swerve around is when something negative happens to you and another person is the cause of it. It's very easy to get upset, mad, and even try to stoop to their level and become petty or mean in regards to the situation. It's simple to take your anger or feelings out on other people, but when you decide to take the high road, that's when you begin to become a better person.

People love to see other people fail. It's a funny trait in human nature. People love to see others fall down because then they feel like they can do better, be better, and accomplish more. That being said, it's actually better when we root for one another. We should be lifting others up instead of praying that they fall. We should be constantly trying to improve ourselves and lending others a helping hand along the way, not snickering when they stumble. Always take the high road by smothering that inner desire to see others fail. Smother that need to push others down to feel joy when others stumble and instead, celebrate their accomplishments. Better yet, learn from their accomplishments and see how their tactics could apply to your life and to what you want to do, and try to be better for it.

When someone meets you with anger or with hostility, try to see their side of it. Most people who are really angry or are coming at you and blaming you, feel that you don't understand their side of the situation or what they are going through. Don't meet their anger with anger but instead try to understand their viewpoint. Try to see their side of it, why they feel the way that they feel, and see how you can help to make them feel better by working out a solution. It won't always work out, and that's okay, but if you can try to understand their point of view and change the situation so that the solution makes everyone feel like they had a part in it or that their piece was heard, it will help diffuse the situation.

It's important to understand that some people just want to be angry. Some people just want to complain and throw a fit and sometimes you're the one who has to sit there and take it. And although it's hard to be on the receiving end of it, taking the high road means trying to not take it personally but understanding that they're upset and just seeing that for what it is, even if you can't do anything to make them feel better. They have a right to be, as we're all entitled to our feelings, but in that case, taking the high road might not mean much of anything other than just taking it and not escalating the situation.

There's a lot to be said for people who can take the high road. When one person is out to get you or is bad-mouthing you or causing drama in your life, it's incredibly easy to get caught up in it and even take part in it. It's incredibly easy to get swept away in the pettiness - we've all been there. But when you start to take small steps to take the high road and instead of escalating the situation or taking part in it, you try to alter how you react by being open, honest, understanding and empathetic, you'll realize that you'll become a better person. You'll start to feel happier and lighter and in the end, it'll teach you so many valuable lessons.