“Genius is the ability to reduce the complicated to the
simple.” C. W. Ceram
“The life of a winner is the result of an unswerving commitment
to a never-ending process of self-completion.” Terry Bradshaw
Avoiding conflict of course is easier said than done. One
needs to think about strategies before the conflict. Planning your approaches beforehand
is essential to their implementation and success. It is strange how most of us
want the discussion with the person we are fighting with, during the heat of
the moment. Nothing could be worse. We are all in such a keyed up state of mind
that we are not close to wanting any compromise. We are out for proving our
argument or seeking revenge. Our mind and body need time to clear, calm down
and take a second look when the fire is out.
If one designs
how to arrange and review problems, they are halfway to a solution. Most of the
time we are so happy the argument is over we overlook the causes and sweep them
under the rug so to speak. The same issues arise again at a future time because
we never really handled them in the first place. Now we each throw in a few
more irritating things and dig up the old problems. This is not going to make
our disagreements any easier. We are multiplying our struggles to the point of
breaking our relationships.
How to
disagree can be manageable. When we truly reflect, we admit our own guilt in
any situation. This helps us to give position to the other person’s point of
view. In doing so, we have broken down a barrier. This takes more courage than
to equip ourselves with words for a fight. The other person can grasp our
honesty and vulnerability. It is important to arrange a time to discuss issues.
It should be when we are ready to compromise and not when we want to prove our
viewpoints. When we have a desire to be at peace, the percentage of our being
right or wrong is not important. The focus is on a common base.
In the
heat of a battle, we are not prepared to compromise. It is essential to
recognize this. We can’t be afraid to broach the problems when our relationship
is on track. If we fear facing the problems then our relationship can’t be on
solid ground. If it is that fragile then it is even more important to tackle our
problems. In the end if we don’t challenge our relationship issues, our
connectedness will deteriorate and end. By coping with our differences calmly,
we can accommodate each other’s schemata. We may be surprised to find that what
we thought was power, control, disrespect and intolerance in our partner, was
actually fear, doubt, anxiety and low self-esteem. At this point we can begin
to work out the real issues instead of fighting over imagined ones.
Solving
problems is never easy but working on the real problems is simpler than attempting
to fix something that isn’t broken. Honesty may be the best policy when we want
truth and understanding in our relationship. If we trust the other person then
we have confidence they will handle and accept our true characteristics. If we hide our actual identities then the
other person has a more difficult time figuring out how to create a compromise
or bond with us. Commitments will be broken because our merger is false in a
sense.
Have faith in yourself as a worthy
individual. You are likable and lovable. All of us have our own faults which we
like to keep hidden. If your flaws are causing a relationship to falter, you don’t
want to keep these deficiencies so close. You may attempt to release your inner
shortcomings by disclosing them to your partner. Acknowledge each other’s weaknesses
and attempt greater closeness through sincerity.
Peace
comes with authenticity, openness, non-judgments, trust, reflection and a
letting go of fear. Begin your discussion agreeing to disagree. Assume you will
not approve of everything said but agree to listen assimilate and accommodate another’s
ideas. You will be closer to a real union as well as a greater expansion of the
mind.
“The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new
landscapes but in having new eyes.” Marcel Proust
