Episode 147

Listen to “Staying Grounded When Facing An Opposing Opinion”.

How do you handle staying grounded when facing an opposing opinion?

Can you stay grounded and clear, sharing your point of view while listening to (not just hearing) an opinion of another? Or do you go through the motions, waiting for the chance to speak again and double down on your point of view?

What about your body language? Do you appear physically agitated, bored or disinterested? Our body language carries as much weight as our words so even if you feel you appear open and actively listening, the way you hold your body may be communicating something very different.

It’s also important to consider how we come to the opinions we have in the first place. Environment, family, friends, teachers, life experience – they all influence the way we think and form our personal values and ideas.

There are countless external elements that further influence how we form opinions and then share them with others. Social media, round the clock news and the increase in general “noise” in the world sucks our attention while also scrambling the insight we use to form our perspectives. When we have time to work through all of the incoming data, we might change our mind in light of updated information, and/or clarify what we need to tune out to find personal balance and deeper understanding.

An opposing opinion does not threaten or harm you (unless it is a specific, targeted threat addressed to you). However, the way you handle yourself when engaging with the opinion of another can take a misunderstanding or lack of context and escalate things into a situation that gets of hand. This is why discernment is so important when engaging in online or in-person conversations. It’s essential to ensure you keep a cool head,  ground yourself physically with self regulating breathing (for example)  and make wise decisions to stay safe while and truly hearing what the other person is saying.

Is staying grounded when facing an opposing opinion a challenge? Yes, but that is why it’s a lifelong practice rather than a one and done task. It also calls us to go inward to hear what our intuition and heart say, in combination with the “facts” you see and hear from the media and others in your life.

With so many dissenting opinions, misinformation and influencers acting as experts, there’s a clear need for people to be able to truly listen to other folks AND their own heart at the same time. Finding a way to balance both while doing your best to say unattached to either is what helps you stay present and grounded.

There is no “right way” to stay grounded when facing an opposing opinion, but there is an approach that allows you to be your true to yourself while giving another person the courtesy of being heard without immediate judgment.

What are ways do you practice that keep you grounded and able to listen without judgment leading the way?