Best Practice #2 – Often, It’s Okay to Differ with One Another!

My most common, frustrating, and unnecessary arguments are with my wife. They arise quite frequently when we have simple differences of opinions.

All too often we get caught up in “I’m right you’re wrong” banter that results in getting stuck in our communication. Tension can arise in our relationship as we become frustrated and angry with one another.

Usually, these arguments are over small, mundane, and unimportant disagreements. And we all too often get stifled and go around in circles in our communication, and frustrated, even angry, in our relationship with one another––unnecessarily.

Amazingly, our mounting frustration, anger, and impasse diminishes, even dissipates, almost instantly when one of us realize, acknowledge, and verbalize that we simply disagree with one another––and it’s okay to differ with one another! In short, we can both agree to disagree.

In these instances, there’s no decision to make or problem to solve. We simply differ! As we both decide that’s okay, we can quickly move on to other matters in our communication and relationship.

The cause of our frustration with one another is rooted in framing of our argument in terms of  the insidious need to be right and to convince the other that they are wrong. These common arguments are unnecessary because they can be framed simply as differences for which it’s okay to agree to disagree.

How do you handle such disagreements or arguments in your communication with important people in your life? What can lead you to get unstuck as anger and frustration flare in your relationships when you differ with one another over mundane, inconsequential issues––unnecessarily?

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