About this quote

Sarcasm and lashing out can be a way to dodge the harder work of looking inward. When you mock yourself or attack others, you are often avoiding a feeling you don't want to admit is there. Try to notice what you feel right before you snap and name it to yourself, or tell one person what happened instead of blaming someone else. That small pause gives you a chance to change how you react.

When to use it

• After I lost it on my roommate during our group presentation prep, I laughed and said, "I don't want to be a man..." because I knew I was being immature and wanted to defuse the moment.
• At the office review when I shouted at a colleague over a minor mistake, I kept thinking of Jace's line, then I swallowed it and apologized instead.
• After a heated argument with my dad about rent, I half-joked, "I don't want to be a man..." to hide how scared I was about money.
• When the coach benched me and I snapped at teammates, I muttered that line later to admit I was taking my frustration out on everyone.