Most people feel that talking is overrated. Let it go we think to ourselves. Why rock the boat? Avoid confrontation at all cost.
It’s always so much easier to brush things under the rug because in the moment that something comes up that creates a feeling we don’t like, we are afraid that if we say something, it may come out wrong, we may hurt someone’s feelings or even worse, we may be misperceived…misunderstood. No one likes to feel misunderstood.
In this day and age, when the majority of our communication happens electronically, it seems as though we are becoming less comfortable with talking and too comfortable with throwing out words through text and email. These words get misconstrued which leads to misunderstanding, disconnection, and conflict.
When your heart (and body) feels a certain emotion that doesn’t sit well with you, don’t avoid talking about it for fear of confrontation. Confrontation is defined as a hostile or argumentative meeting or situation between opposing parties. In my groups, I share a new way to define the word. To confront is to bring something to the forefront and out into the open for two people to listen to each other, feel heard, acknowledged, and most importantly to talk it out. The truth is that when it's important, it's worth opening your mouth for.
Why hold onto things that create resentment and begin to feel toxic in your mind and body? Instead try to:
Trust that others will listen to what you have to say
Acknowledge/Accept how you feel
Let others share how they feel and really listen to them
Know that you will feel better because you have shared your thoughts and feelings