When faced with confrontation, do you head for the hills or walk straight in? Was there ever a time you wished you'd had the opposite reaction?
I most certainly head for the hills whenever the specter of confrontation rears its ugly head. Confrontation makes me physically ill, the idea of a confrontation can make me nauseated and light headed. I sometimes wish that I had much more courage so that confrontation wouldn't make me so unbelievably uncomfortable, anxiety ridden and stressed. I remember standing on the street corner when I was in second grade holding my mother's hand and crying that I didn't want to go to school because my teacher was a screamer. She never screamed at me, but listening to her scream at the other children made me miserable and scared. I never started arguments or fights, but I was picked on anyway because I was a skinny little thing who was a bookworm, did all of my homework and did very well on tests. I learned very early that confrontation was not for me and that lesson stuck, I still can't deal with confrontation. I don't see that aspect of myself change anytime soon. I suppose it would be nice to not feel so stressed anytime a confrontation might occur, but I don't even know how to go about changing my reaction to a stressful conflict. My choice in any fight or flight situation will most likely remain the flight, at least there is exercise involved.
laurieanichols 