In today's society, it's almost a given you will at some time be approached by a an irate person, either attacking you, yelling at you, or maybe just trying to stare you down.

This can happen for almost any reason and in almost any location -- like in a bar, a restaurant, on the street or even on your property in some cases.

When this happens, you'll be tempted to yell back, shove back or simply attack.

But for purely legal and ethical reasons, unless someone is trying to kill you or outright attacks you...your first reaction should always be to simply gain some distance.

For example, imagine some ticked off guy comes knocking on your door some day and starts accusing you of sleeping with his wife (happens to totally innocent people more often than most people realize.)

He's naturally (and understandably) angry, and looking to tear off your head.

What do you do?

Well, unless he outright attacks you, the first thing you should do is slowly take a couple steps back, and relax.

Why?

Because taking a couple steps back usually starts the "de-escalation" process. Plus, it also lets you see a lot more of the "playing field" -- like the closest exit, a possible weapon, or his friend waiting in the corner ready to jump in.

It may sound simple, but simply stepping back slow is a highly effective way to protect yourself and, at the same time, start the process of calming the guy down and (ideally) talking it out -- instead of fighting it out.