An infinite number of topics exist for people to disagree on.
There are the smaller ones, of course—where to have dinner, what show to watch, or which sports team is the best. Even these can cause hard feelings. And then there are significant issues, like politics, climate change, race relations, and how the pandemic is being managed.
Often, we hold our views very dearly. We’re passionate about our opinions, perspectives, and understanding. So how do we handle it when we encounter people who have opposing views?
Depending on your personality, you may thrive on debate and not experience any sense of embarrassment or anger when interacting with someone who sees differently than you do.
Many people, however, feel anxious just thinking about this situation. You may sense your pulse quickening, breath rate increasing, and muscles tensing when you imagine it.
There are things you can do, though, to help keep such conversations and interactions calm and maybe even productive.
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