The majority of us try to run away from difficult emotions and subconscious trauma. As a result, we let our egos do the protecting and reacting. Operating according to our overly protective egos may feel safe, but we also miss out on new possibilities and we lose the ability to grow. The key to taming the ego is therefore to learn how and why you react negatively to certain situations. Only with this awareness of your defense mechanisms will you be able to connect with them and then gracefully let them go.