Have you ever found yourself in a situation where people don’t agree with you? Maybe it’s with your colleagues at work, or at university, or perhaps at the family dinner table. What do you do when people don’t agree with you?
We all have our own opinions and ideas, and that is a good thing! If we all thought the same, we would be very boring. Diversity in views, beliefs, and opinions is something to be celebrated, not squashed.
But say you find yourself really passionate and adamant about a viewpoint or a way of doing things and you just want everyone to see your point and get on board. That’s much easier said than done. To avoid frustration when people are not coming around to your way of thinking, there are few things you must know:
- People don’t have to agree with you to have heard you: I wish I had figured this one out a long time ago. You see, in arguments or discussions, we think we have “won” when the other person agrees with us. But that’s simply not true. Someone can vehemently disagree with you to your face but that does not mean that they didn’t hear what you said. Give people time to process and absorb what you were saying. You never know, the next time you speak to them about it, you may have influenced their way of thinking.
- Choose relationships over being right: Many relationships have been damaged over arguments and differences in opinion. Many times, it’s simply not worth it. Don’t let petty differences ruin friendships and relationships. Life is short. What matters today, may not matter that much tomorrow. Think carefully before dismissing a colleague, neighbour, or family member over a difference in viewpoint.
It’s great to have an opinion on things but just think twice before “going to war” over it. Be kind; be respectful; listen to the other person. You may just find yourself influencing more people than you thought possible, all because you were willing to keep the relationship intact despite your differences.
Remember, people don’t have to agree with you to have heard what you had to say.
If you have relationships in your life that have been damaged over arguments and differences in opinion, it doesn’t have to stay that way. Why not bring them to God in prayer and ask Him to help you make things right. To find out more, click on the banner below or on the pop-up window.