Conflict and Light (Watch Where You Step)

One summer when I was in college, I made a dear friend who was from Texas. He played football for his Texas college team and had a Texas-size heart. He seemed to make everything fun.

One evening we were walking to meet some friends and decided to take a short-cut through a forest. There was a lot of moonlight that night, but as we moved through the thick of the trees, he took my hand to guide me and said, "Only step where the light is -- you don't know what the dark places on the ground are."

In that moment, I didn't realize the life wisdom he was imparting to me. His instruction to step with care, and only move forward with the sure-footedness that came with clearly seeing the illuminated places ahead, has often been my inward counsel in navigating my way through what seem to be the forests of my life.

When it comes to conflict, the opposite mistake of continuing to tolerate on-going friction is to bulldoze your way through it without any thought, leaving a path of destruction in your wake.

While it is very tempting to simply overpower others in order to bring things to a close, the truth is, you are probably making the situation worse, and causing more pain.  

In those instances, you really do have to follow my friend's advice and not take a step until you check out the situation and know where you're headed. You need to investigate, consider your priorities, and have a clear plan for resolving things well.

Yes, it can feel frustrating to wait and move slowly down a conflicted road, but trust me, the light will come, and along with it will be the clarity and confidence you need to handle the situation masterfully.

DrK

If you'd like some help finding the light you need for your next step, contact me at
confidentconflict.com for a complimentary conversation!
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