Difficult conversations may be scarier than public speaking. At least with public speaking, people will give you the benefit of the doubt. Some difficult conversations happen with people who will deliberately not-cooperate and fight your every breath.
They’re also inevitable. You’re always in a relationship that needs some kind of difficult conversation. Start adulting and bring up the conversation you don’t want to so you can both move on with your lives. Having uncomfortable silences staring at elephants in the room is nobody’s image of having a good time.
As you get better with practice, difficult conversations will become easier for you, and less sucky and difficult for others.
The most important aspect of a difficult conversation is starting them. The most important thing to remember before the conversation is being clear about what it is that you and they want, and what you and they don’t want. Don’t think, ask them what they want.
The most important thing to remember during the conversation is keep the conversation about what you both want. There’s no crying in difficult conversation, baseball, over spilled milk, and especially not at your party.
Have difficult conversations. Grow into bigger britches.
