... PING!
How was your month? How many Lightbulb Moments did you get to experience? I'd like to share my biggest one with you.
Well, that was an interesting start to the year. I had chosen Conflict Resolution as my topic for January, thinking about how we make New Year Resolutions to be better, or to start or stop something. I was thinking how I would resolve to embrace conflict. Sounds weird right? I'm more on the avoidance side of conflict really, which could mean I am missing out on understanding others points of view. So I started to research how I can become more open to conflict.
I re-read Brené Brown's book, Braving the Wilderness, where she talks a lot about blame, one line really jumped out at me. "You can't hate people close up". That meant to me, the more you get to know someone, the more you understand why and how they are different to you, allowing us to relate at a deeper level. Just because we don't agree doesn't make the other person wrong or bad.
This concept pushed me to consider how often I engage with people with beliefs that feel totally foreign to me. I don't want to get political, but the current climate has brought us into a world of conflict, whether you believe the right people are in power to not, I'm sure you have been exposed to views of people who disagree with you. The temptation is to cut them off, to respond with something to show them how wrong they are, to dismiss them and their beliefs. But how about we get to know them. We listen and ask questions to really understand why their views are so different? Get to know them, close up. Then it's harder to hate them or their opinions.
Embrace the opportunity to be in conflict with someone who can teach you something. It is possible to agree to disagree, and actually build relationships by not allowing opposing standpoints to pull us apart.
My passion for lightbulb moments feeds my curiosity to learn and improve, to be kinder, more helpful and engaging, and now to embrace conflict. Let's all make this world more peaceful by embracing diversity and not blaming others for being different.
If you are someone who needs someone, reach out and ask for help. Who knows, someone you know might be waiting for someone they know, to need them too.
Thanks for reading, I hope this has given you some things to think about and you have some of your own Lightbulb Moments.
I'd love to hear about them.
If you would like some help experiencing them, I'd love to help.
Please share this with anyone you know who loves experiencing Lightbulb Moments.
Enjoy the Ping!
Viki Johnston
Brené Brown on Blame.