Read, Shrug, Delete. Try it!

The following is an unpaid commercial advertisement.

Now, I'm no tenured professor of exercise studies or pilates physics or anything, but I'd like to pass along a short, low impact workout that can really help you shed stress and stay out of the national media spotlight.

I call it read, shrug, delete.

Something disagreeable in your email inbox? Delicate sensibilities ruffled? Bad old world failing once again to conform to your deeply held views? Dissent intruding on your carefully constructed dome of ideological solitude?

Just read it. Shrug it off. And delete it.

Can you feel the tension releasing?

The reading portion works your ocular muscles. The shrugging tones your shoulders and upper back. The deleting improves eye-hand coordination. Cleansing breaths through all three steps.

Now, I know, in this crazy world, there's an almost undeniable temptation to drop a quick F-Bomb on that pesky sender. Who hasn't typed those four magic letters and prepared to fire?

It may feel so good to do it, but it's empty calories, folks. You're going to regret it within minutes, seconds maybe. Anger is momentary, but email is forever.  Before you know it, your message is on Gawker. Your boss is using words like "intolerant" and "disrespectful." Not good.

Instead, try Read. Shrug. Delete. It's just that simple. Let it go.

Here are a couple of testimonials:

"Interacting with other faculty members at cocktail parties, cotillions and symposiums led me to think that, surely, everyone believes what I do. Then I got an e-mail from some sort of self-styled conservatives that vexed me to the quick. Just as I was about to flame those scalawags with a short burst of vulgar comeuppance, I remembered read, shrug, delete. Now, I may still get that state research grant. Huzzah!"

"I was sitting in my cubicle, eating barbecue for lunch and reading "Atlas Shrugged" when the office socialista sent out another one of her real funny jokes about the Tea Party. I was just about to drop a big fat daisy-cutter F-Bomb on to her freedom-hating worldview when I remembered read, shrug, delete. That little three-word gem saved me from a long, humiliating trip to human resources. Thanks."

See how easy it is?

If you can't be open minded. If considering other viewpoints makes you break out in hives and into a string of expletives. Try read, shrug delete. Or start writing letters.