When a conflict arises, do you run away from it or shame yourself for having
caused an issue? Does your inner critic start attacking you or do you start
feeling unworthy of love? If you resonate with any of these, be sure to give this
video a watch.
Hello! I'm Arien Smith and you are watching Arien Inspires, a weekly online
web series where I help survivors of abuse find peace, joy, and prosperity. It's
natural to fear conflict, to fear that we'll lose a relationship with someone
that we love. For us survivors of abuse, conflict was often a dangerous thing. If
we upset our abusers, it could have meant that our very lives were threatened. At
the very least, we'd face some harrowing consequences. So, naturally we fear
conflict. The problem with a fear of conflict is that conflict cannot be
avoided. It's going to happen! Even the most healthy and unconditionally loving
relationships are going to have conflicts. They'll be safe to experience,
no harm will happen, but that doesn't mean that they're easy. When this happens,
you may find yourself suddenly swept into memories of your past, terrified of
everything collapsing around you. Of them lashing out, of yourself running away
from this relationship. Maybe you're beating yourself up on the inside. You
may be finding yourself falling back into patterns that you have spent years
trying to escape, simply because a conflict triggered a particular emotion.
Here's an example that I faced and I know, with absolute certainty, that I am
not alone in this. Let's say your partner was having a bad day and you were a bit
more detached and out of it than usual, so you came off a little bit colder and
a little less attentive to their needs. You were just having one of those days.
You weren't doing anything wrong, your compassion just wasn't as bright as
usual. The following day, your partner tells you that they would have loved a
little bit more compassion and support from you. You didn't know this yesterday,
so they're clear that you didn't make a mistake, they're just letting you know
for future reference. Suddenly, you are overcome with emotions. Your inner critic
begins a monologue of how horrible of a partner you are, saying that you're cold
and unloving and that they deserve someone so much better. It punishes you
for what you see as a mistake, even though this conflict wasn't actually a
mistake that you made. Conflict in most cases is very neutral. It's just a person
expressing a need to you. If your mind keeps saying that you should have done
better, that probably originates from some pain you're holding for your past.
Perhaps a defense mechanism that kept you on your toes so that you didn't
upset your abuser. Handling conflicts without having them overwhelm you is an
art, but I totally believe that you have all the skills to find comfort and
safety within conflict. To see conflict as something not to fear but rather to
embrace. One of the best ways to do this is by rationalizing what's actually
going on. You're going to want a piece of paper for this, since paper keeps you
grounded and our minds have a tendency to overwhelm us with a whole bunch of
thoughts. Paper helps keep you centered and focused on what you're writing. Now,
write down what the conflict was. What did your friend or partner take issue
with? What, as best as you remember, did they actually say to you? You may even
want to ask your loved one to repeat what their desire was so that you can
write it down immediately after. If you want, as you're doing this, keep a column
aside for what your inner critic is saying. Just write down what you hear, not
judging, just recording. Look at their request and step aside.
Pull yourself into an objective mindset, pretend that you are viewing this from
the outside. Now, look at the conflict and write down what it means about both
parties. What is the boundary that's being set? Did one party member make a
mistake? If so, what does that say about the person who made that mistake? Be
rational with this whole exercise. You might be tempted to say that you made a
mistake and that you're a horrible person because of it, but making a
mistake does not make you a horrible person. A rational answer, based on the
earlier example, is something like, "I wasn't attentive to my partner's needs
and they asked me to be more attentive in the future. What this means is that I
did my best then, and now I have a clearer picture of how I can do even
better." This sort of rationalization may help to tame your inner critic instantly,
but if it still clings around, since that's pretty common, then just keep
repeating this rationalization. Smile at your inner critic and let it do its
little dance inside your head. Let it exist, just don't necessarily listen to
it. All of this will help you to reduce misunderstandings and the times that you
accidentally lash out or push away from a relationship. It will help you to
recognize that just because you made a mistake or didn't notice something, it
doesn't mean that you're unworthy of love or that you're a bad partner or
friend. You are still a fantastic person and I'm sure that all of these people
are still so grateful to have you in their lives. Conflict is normal and it's
perfectly okay to experience, so go ahead and share this video with someone else
who struggles to accept conflicts in their relationships. Maybe that's your
own partner or friend and you want to make conflicts more safe and accepted
between both of you. Whoever it is, know that you sharing this
could change their life. I really rely on you to help me help other survivors of abuse,
so if you could share this with at least one other person that would be
absolutely wonderful. Also, let me know what you think about this! What is your
biggest fear when it comes to conflict? What rational things can you tell
yourself to help tame your inner critic, when it comes to making a mistake? Feel
free to drop your comment below. I'm sure that you have some amazing things to say.
As always, there are a ton more resources over at UncoverYourJoy.com, so head on
over, check it out, and leave a comment! While you're there, be sure to subscribe
to our email list. You'll receive exclusive monthly self love letters,
weekly blog updates, and free resources I send only to my email community. You are
not a horrible person because conflict happened in a relationship. Conflict
happens when two different people interact, which is what every single
relationship is. Take some time to rationalize what really happened so that
you can approach the situation with love for yourself and for the person that you
deeply treasure. And always remember that you are loved, you are worthy, and you are
capable of so so much.
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