“The truth you believe and cling to makes you unavailable to hear anything new.” ~Pema Chodron

HANDS UP IN THE AIR
OR DO YOU DARE
PLACE THEM OVER YOUR HEART.          .          .
DO YOU BELIEVE PEMA CHODRON’S QUOTE?
It feels like the whole world is
SCREAMING
lately
which makes it impossible to not simply
T            A            L            K
but actually
H              E               A               R

Pssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssst:
It’s not getting any quieter
In fact,
pick a subject
ANY SUBJECT
and you’ll have a fight on your hands
(maybe literally)
before you can stutter out
Shhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh
because everyone seems to have a gavel in hand
and are using it
as a weapon
I wasn’t hunting for an article but there’s plenty that have been written lately and Mitchell’s actually found me and maybe just in the nick of time for me, and because of this blog post,
Y     O     U
So just for a few brief moments
just read.          .          .
take a couple of deep breaths through your nose
like you’re sniffing your favorite fragrance
E X H A L E
slowly from you mouth
R E P E A T
and just read:

Mitch Geoffrey is the co-founder of Mindful Cupid, a website dedicated to helping readers improve their relationships and their lives. You’ll find lots of useful articles on how to find love, survive heartbreak, explore your spiritual side, and discover your best self. Check out the site at mindfulcupid.com, or join us on facebook.

“It sounds a lot like you were trying to force your beliefs on him and got mad when he wouldn’t back down.” is usually the anatomy of a good argument.  Or so, Mitchell thinks.

He states, “. . .We are often so caught up in being right that we refuse to accept anyone could believe differently. Even worse, emotion quickly pounces in and completely takes over, and we lose any ability to even make an effort to find common ground or try and see things from a different perspective.

In the middle of an argument we often are missing the larger truth that we all believe we are seeing the world as it should be. Our entrenched beliefs become part of our identity because they help us make sense of the chaotic world we live in. And when someone holds a radically different view to our own, it shakes the foundation of our own beliefs and makes us feel off balance and insecure.

But Mitchell believes that the good news is, no matter how differently you see the world from someone else, there’s always a way to find some common ground. Here are six tips I’ve learned to help have productive, respectful conversations and open your mind to different perspectives.
DRUM ROLL:

1. Focus on the outcome

When you get bogged down arguing about specifics, take the argument up as many levels as you need until you find common ground.

For example, in the case of climate change, we could have both easily agreed that the environment is important and we want to leave the world a better place for our kids. We just have different views on how to get there. This is a great way to reset the conversation because you’re focused on discussing the outcome rather than winning the argument.

2. Understand their perspective

Learning the underlying reason why someone believes something can help you see a different side of the issue. It might not change your mind, but it will help you treat the other person with more empathy and give you fresh ideas to discuss.

For example, someone’s refusal to accept climate change might be caused by concern about the negative effects it will have on their life. Maybe transitioning to renewable energy means they will lose their job or be forced to change their lifestyle in ways they don’t want to accept.

If you can understand these underlying concerns, you’ll be much more likely to find common ground and have a productive discussion.

3. Separate emotion from logic

A stressful argument can hijack the prefrontal cortex—the part of the brain responsible for critical thinking and decision-making. When this happens, you go into “fight or flight” mode and become more likely to react emotionally, think less creatively, and say things without thinking them through.

The next time you find yourself getting angry or defensive in an argument, take a step back and try to de-escalate your emotions by acknowledging them. Once you’re feeling more logical and calm, you can start to look for common ground again.

4. Practice active listening

Active listening is a communication technique that involves hearing, paraphrasing, and responding to what the other person is saying. It’s an essential skill for finding common ground because it shows that you’re genuinely interested in understanding their perspective.

The next time you’re in an argument, try repeating back what the other person has said in different words to make sure you’ve understood them correctly. Then, add your perspective to what they’ve said. For example, “I can see why you feel that way, but I also think…”

5. Be mindful of your own biases

We all have biases—it’s part of being human. We want to win arguments, be right, and be liked, so it’s easy to fall into the trap of only listening to information that supports our point of view.

Exposing yourself to different perspectives—even if you don’t agree with them—can help you think more critically about your own beliefs. It might even help you find common ground where you thought there was none.

6. Remember that differing views are important

If everyone agreed on everything, the world would be a pretty boring place. But even more importantly, differing ideas help to push society forward. They challenge us to think critically about our own beliefs and come up with new solutions to problems.

So the next time you find yourself in an argument with someone, try to see it as an opportunity to learn and grow rather than a chance to prove your point. You might just be surprised at how much common ground you can find.