“When angry, count to ten before you speak; if very angry a hundred.” - Thomas Jefferson
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Some people thrive on conflict. They like to get people to take sides against each other. They are prone to anger and blame. For me, on the other hand, conflict is something that makes me sick to my stomach. It’s hard for me to get the concept that someone can be angry at me and not hate me. So I tend to walk on eggshells because I can’t tolerate someone being mad at me, and I lack the skills to argue back.
As a result, there are needs I have that won’t be fulfilled because I’m afraid to bring them up to a friend, a family member, or a co-worker. I know that’s not healthy. There is a continuum between aggression, assertion and just giving up. Suicide is the ultimate expression of giving up.
Lord, give me a thicker skin and a stronger ability to absorb and handle conflict. It’s one of the things my life depends on.
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