Stop the silence
How many of us hate the thought of any whiff of confrontation? It's often a scary, unnerving prospect, as we cannot know in advance how we will be received, what will be unleashed or what the outcome might be. Work, at home or with friends can sometimes have undercurrents or escalations of tension that may have simmered and remained unspoken about for some considerable time. But keeping silent can bring its own complications and issues, as not speaking out may be interpreted as silently giving permission for things to continue as they are. 'You should have said', 'why didn't you say something?, may be comments justifiably levelled at us if we eventually disclose that we've long been unhappy at the way things have gradually evolved. There are several things that can contribute to our apprehension at breaking the silence and starting to talk. Apprehension might manifest about inadvertently saying the wrong thing and causing friction or even appearing foolish, unintelligent or ignorant. Could our words be misconstrued and add petrol to an already inflammatory situation, resulting in messy consequences?
