No two people are exactly the same and life is full of ups and downs. Thus, you’re going to inevitably be faced with external conflict at some point in your healing journey, and despite your best intentions to remain positive, sometimes this is very difficult to do. It’s human nature to allow negative emotions to surface when they’re warranted.
With the future unpredictable, there is no way to ever fully forecast every problem that may arise along the way. So, it’s vital to be able to adapt while remembering to keep a solid foundation. In other words, you should know who you are and what you stand for while understanding that others may think very differently. This is where practicing acceptance comes in. If you can agree to disagree you won’t have to harbor feelings of resentment or ill-will – a heavy burden to carry.
You must be willing to actively listen to others, too, when you’re not seeing eye-to-eye. This doesn’t mean you have to submit to their ways of thinking or what they want from you, but it is important to understand where they’re coming from before you react.
If you feel strongly about something and the issue affects your internal values system, don’t be afraid to stick up for yourself. You should feel as if you can offer your perspective, and you shouldn’t lose yourself in the process of becoming interconnected with others. It’s okay to be different.
You should also beware of signs that you are being gaslighted by someone else. If you feel as if your opinions are constantly being minimized or emotions are being chalked up to unrelated causes, this is a potential problem. For example, if you’re continually being told you’re just tired, you’re overreacting, or you’re just having a bad day when you disagree, this could mean the other person isn’t interested in taking you seriously.
Only engage with those who are good communicators and are willing to not only express how they feel, but actively listen to how you do. The bottom line is, you have a choice regarding who you choose to work through problems with and who you choose not to, and, at the end of the day, you have to protect your energy.
Practice daily self-reflection, mindfulness, and heartfulness and during these times go inward to ensure you feel balanced. You can ask yourself if you are really just tired, or if you are just having a bad day, but never take someone else’s word for it. There is a difference between being manipulated into believing your position doesn’t matter and being honest with yourself. You know yourself best. So, do what’s best for you.