Somewhere In Between
A Situational Pattern.
Situation
You’ve had an emotional exchange. You know where you were coming from and you feel pretty solid about it. But what about the other person? They’re probably feeling… just as confident as you. Well, maybe. Reality is likely somewhere in between.
Pattern
1. Take the time to cool down.
If the exchange was charged, give space to cool down. A few hours, a few days or a week. Whatever you need. Just be sure that you don’t let emotions overtake intellect.
2. Clarify your perspective.
Get clear on how you see things. Why did the situation happen? How did it make you feel? Where are you today? Be ready to explain your feelings.
3. Consider what might be going on for the other person.
Put yourself in the other person’s shoes. What might have been going on for them? What might have they been feeling?
4. Schedule time and connect.
Reach out. Get together. Check in on how they are doing and have a thoughtful conversation. Understand what was going on for them and let them know what was going on for you. Build a common perspective on what happened.
5. Go boldly forward.
Clear the air and go boldly forward. Build trust and keep the lines of communication open. If you see signs of the issue returning, be sure to address it at first sight.
Why
Every relationship will have ups and downs. What’s important is that you always come to the relationship with good intentions. And you work through hiccups together.
Curious about Situational Patterns? Learn more about Situational.ly.
