The Situation - An Example

Let’s take the first example. This is the situation you find when you arrive home from work: Your dog puked on the floor, there's a massive pile of unwashed dishes in the sink, and all your family member texted was, “Sorry about the mess,” accompanied by an emoji of a grimacing face.

Most people would probably find this infuriating (and rightly so!). There’s an important nuance here, though. These events alone don’t directly produce anger or any other emotion. Two more key steps lie between the situation and your emotional response.