Melavai, that's a difficult situation. I've cried 3 times during a meeting with a boss (3 different bosses), just because my emotions got the better of me. All three were surprised as I'm usually only teary eyed for TV commercials and movies , and all three times I actually got what I wanted, but I did not plan any of the crying events, and was kind of embarrassed by them.

I've been in a meeting where I insisted that I have a witness. It was a gender issue and I was telling my boss that he had no right to question my reproductive future. It was the right thing to just have another person in the room to note that I handled myself with professionalism and to make a record that I'd noted the inappropriate comments and was requesting them be stopped.

Regardless of what your meeting was about, if it's going to be difficult, I think it's important for you to have another party there. Perhaps before the next time you can agree with the person you are meeting with who can join your meeting to give you that relief you need.

Or visualize butterflies. All around you, all around the other guy. You'll both look and feel better and be protected from the "slings and arrows".

Hugs and butterflies,
~T~