July 31

”Whenever you're in conflict with someone, there is one factor that can make the difference between damaging your relationship and deepening it. That factor is attitude.” William James

My attitude can be the defining factor between a disagreement and an argument. A lot depends on the position I take, how willing I am to be listen and receive someone else’s viewpoint. These are all things within my control, and sometimes that simply reminder of the Serenity Prayer can give me the precious moments to pause in a situation and prevent me from making things worse. That’s not always the case. There are still times when I am caught off guard, where I am vulnerable because I am tired or not in the best mood to begin with, or I simply don’t have the right attitude to be loving. This brings me to an interesting point. There are moments when I need to choose to love, where my actions have to lead my heart. It’s not something that always comes naturally, not the first instinctive reaction to a situation. Yet loving another person is always a choice available for me to make. My parents don’t tell me advice to harm me, but because they love me and still want to protect me, even as an adult. My kids don’t disobey to hurt me, but because sometimes they just don’t think about the consequences. My partner doesn’t nag or criticize to belittle me, but because she cares and only wants me to be at my best. I need to remember that others are usually acting out of love towards me to, and often all I need to do is receive their offering. This is an adjustment to my own attitude that I can practice today.

Affirmation

Conflicts may arise today, but I will practice patience and understanding to see where the other person is coming from  and look to respond with love.