When someone insults you on purpose, they’re waiting for a show. Don’t sell them tickets.

A deliberate insult is a request for a reaction, and the reaction is the whole point. The person wants to see you rattled, because that proves they can move you. Without the reaction the insult just sits there, doing nothing.

Next time you feel the heat rise, notice the gap between the sting and your answer, and let it stay open a second longer. A flat face and a short reply cost you nothing and give them nothing. Save your real response for people who have earned one.