Welcome to the world, and good luck!

Contrary to the blog writing edict, “Keep it light,” do not! What’s far more important, rewarding, interesting, and impactful is “Keep it honest.” The world has enough yoga centric boho blogs full of gluten free chocolate chip cookie recipes and puppy pics. That’s all good and well, but what the world needs more of is direct, honest, and respectful communication. How can we every understand each other if we hide our opinions behind a pale veneer of effervescent banality?

When I was hired into my previous position, the university was having all students and employees attend seminars on “non-violent communication.” A lot of that guidance was helpful: listen actively, respond respectfully, and communicate your own ideas with clarity and awareness. However, there was a large emphasis on avoiding conflict, which on the surface sounds like a lofty and well-intentioned goal. Fast forward five years, and the number one complaint among the staff was the passive aggressive attitude that had taken root in the organization. People were afraid to communicate directly. Anything that could be taken as a criticism was amplified and escalated to HR. In short, there was a critical breakdown in communication which had a negative impact on the operation of the organization, as well as the wellbeing of the employees and students.

With the world in disarray, racism thriving, and political rifts growing, it’s far more important to communicate honestly than to “keep things light.” There will be strife, there will be headaches, there may even be bruised egos and hurt feelings, but we should celebrate those differences and embrace the struggle. Like the hammer striking the iron, this is how we forge new solutions to the world’s most difficult problems.

As Carl Jung said in his 1938 book Philosophy and Religion, “Everyone carries a shadow, and the less it is embodied in the individual’s conscious life, the blacker and denser it is.”

See Also: The Institute for Conflict: https://www.instituteforconflict.com/