It's been a rough week. That's for certain.
My hubby has been involved in very difficult extended family conversations over difficult matters.
What has hit me this week around this is how emotional stress takes a toll on us physically-the link is so clear.
Suddenly headaches, wanting to throw up, indigestion and backaches start creeping up. At first you don't make the link and connect the dots-but it's all right there in front of you.
When I asked my husband one day this week if he thought he had the stomach flu-he wrote me back and said "no just bad cashews and conversations"
A few words of encouragement from me by email....and my hope and kind words ...and tummy ache seemed to go away. (Poor guy that's all I could offer him -I have not been around for any of this stressful week he has had as I have had work commitments ).
I have also realized two things this week in terms of difficult conversations that I think are crucial when two people don't see eye to eye on something.
Acknowledgment
Integrity
No one ever intended that people should see things alike did they? We are all diverse for a reason.
Acknowledgment is a powerful communication tool-many wars would be alleviated if we used it more often. To reinforce our understanding of the way a person is feeling (despite if you feel that way too) To use acknowledgment as a way to connect and heighten your relationship.
To be acknowledged is to be heard.
To be heard is to feel connected.
Despite what further actions actually ever take place.
And integrity as a compass. To leave any situation with grace and respect and dignity, for yourself as that is who you have to live with in the end. Ensure that after all is said and done-you come out being proud of YOU.
I admire my Protector a lot, as in every interaction he takes in life, whether that be outside or inside our family these two values he carries with him. They make up who he is at the core.
As my guest blogger said a couple of weeks ago in her grounding post, family has the ability to bring us back to the beginnings in many ways of who we really are.
I might add-yes but what do you do about it when you come back to it -all grown up? I agree family has the ability to bring is to our knees, to make us have tummy aches, to make us hate nuts we usually love, to make us take an extra drink at midnight just to be able to sleep. We love them deeply but they have the ability to bring us to our rawest form.
But... I think they also have the ability to acknowledge us all grown up. If they want to that is...What a precious gift that is. To be seen and heard as who you are..now.
