Agree to Differ

We all have had differences of opinion in our lives. But what happens when someone makes a comment that offends you? Or when you have a different way of handling a situation? Or worse, someone you care about is mad at you and they withhold communication?

In dealing with this type of situation your immediate reaction may be to turn your back on it. Ignore it, and the feelings might go away. Or you could decide to defend your position, and lash back in dispute. Either way, you end up with feelings of rejection, resentment, and most probably anger.

Anger is a normal but strong emotion and it needs to be handled with care. Anger alerts us when something is wrong. Usually, when someone is angry they are not fulfilled in some way. Or, they may be sensitive to a comment that is perceived as an insult. They may sense it as being an attack. And sometimes, when someone is angry they put blame on the other person for the way they feel.
Some people, when angry, punish others. Their payback is in the form of withholding communication. When people withhold and suppress their anger they think they have their troubles under control. Focusing on what made them mad and sitting on their anger will not solve anything. Ideally, people need to gather the courage to face their problem.

A willingness to honestly look at the situation will be the start of resolving it. The first step towards resolution is to listen to the other person's point of view. Stand in the other person's shoes for a moment. Sometimes to listen properly you may have to calm your own emotional reaction. To do this; take a breath, pause, and then give the other person your attention. You may not like what the other person says, but, if you listen attentively, you will gain clarification and shared understanding.
Remember, two people can strongly hold opposite beliefs but can also choose to be civil and remain approachable despite the differences. No two people agree about everything. This is a simple fact of life.

So, whatever the case, you do have options. You can agree, or disagree. Or, you can choose to agree to differ. Ultimately, when agreeing to the differences you give up the struggle. Agreeing to differ becomes acceptance. Acceptance is necessary to creating a life that feels good. With acceptance you can clear the way to finding solutions. Being empowered to finding solutions feels way better than sitting on anger. In the end, the more accepting that you are, the better-off you will be.