Why do we need courage to say hard things?
YES, some of us are much more comfortable with confrontation that others are; however, if you’re truly looking to build a bridge toward intimacy, courage is required.
Risk.Fear.Pain. These are just a few of the discomforts we feel when saying hard things. Will the recipient want to shoot the messenger? Will they handle us with tenderness and compassion? You won’t know unless you put on your brave girl panties and face the fear of…the unknown, will you?
This is why we need courage to say hard things. There is huge opportunity for unanticipated responses. But, we can only control what we can control and the choice to move forward with courage is within our control.
If you find yourself pleading a case for cowardice ask yourself these questions;
Am I able to let this go completely or do I need to “say the hard thing” to prevent bitterness and resentment from taking root in the relationship?
Is the relationship important enough to me to proceed with courage? Could deepened intimacy and renewed commitment result from saying something hard?
We all start at the novice level when it comes to these types of relationship challenges, practicing saying hard things to others will only disarm our apprehensions over time. This can get easier if we choose to develop this skill. Before you set out on your journey to say something hard; consider this little acronym as a tool to guide your conversation and approach.
THINK - Is what you have to say…
T - Is it true.
H - is it helpful.
I - is it inspiring.
N - is it necessary.
K - is it kind.
Try to package your words in a THINK bundle. It will help the person receiving them feel your care for the relationship.
LISTEN TO EPISODE 24 : Courage to Say Hard Things for more insights on this topic.
Photo by Artem Beliaikin on Unsplash
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