↗️ Stay with yourself

A close family member once told me: when discussing challenging things with others, 'stay with yourself'. This advice helped me avoid unncessary confrontations many times since.

Consider these two phrases:

"You look upset."

vs.

"To me, you look upset."

The first implies a fact about another, potentially causing defensiveness.

There's a certain finality to it, a lack of wiggle room.

The second stays with your own perspective, leaving room for possible error on your end.

It's a subtle difference, but opens up dialogue instead of closing it with a judgment.

The focus is on your interpretation, not imposing a reality on someone.

It's about framing our perceptions as just that—perceptions, not facts. It's about creating a space where dialogue can happen, opening up the possibility for understanding, not just defending.

Until next time, keep communicating wisely!