There are so many types of relationships we have: relationships with friends, parents, siblings, children, our spouse or significant other, clients, co-workers, and colleagues.
Even though we may have enjoyable and loving relationships, we may also struggle at times with issues such as communication problems, conflict resolution, and “baggage” that we bring with us.
Our “baggage” comes from our past experiences, which can create beliefs. We may have beliefs, such as “You just can’t trust anyone!” or “There aren’t any good men out there!” Beliefs also come from what we’ve seen around us. Perhaps you’ve seen people get “stabbed in the back” by friends or co-workers. Perhaps you had witnessed a parent disappoint you or others time and time again.
What baggage do you bring to conflict resolution?
The next time you are ready to resolve a conflict with someone, spend some time thinking about conflict and how it has factored into your life. Did you grow up seeing healthy conflict resolution? Or did you see yelling, name-calling, stonewalling, or avoidance? Often we may not recognize the impact that our childhood experiences have on our ability to handle conflict as an adult. This is worth looking at. Doing so will help you choose your actions as you approach conflict resolution, as well as what you’d like to leave behind.
You might ask yourself questions like:
- What did I see growing up when it came to conflict?
- What lessons did I learn from that?
- How do I view conflict now?
- What feelings come up for me around the topic of conflict?
- In general, am I passive, aggressive or assertive when it comes to conflict?
However, leaving these things behind can be easier said than done. That’s when a tool like EFT (Emotional Freedom Technique) is so helpful in shifting and releasing beliefs and patterns.
You may want to consider Angelic EFT sessions to easily and powerfully let go of some of that old baggage. Click here to learn more.
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