“Be aware of button pushing during disagreements. One common way that a person may attempt to sway your opinion is to introduce false isolation. That is, to say, “Well everybody thinks what I think, and only you think differently. “Everybody may be family, a group of friends, or just a made-up “everybody that doesn’t really exist. If you react, not wanting to be the only one left out, then this method of persuasion will be used on you again and again. You will eventually lose confidence in your own thoughts. It usually comes after you ask for a reason. If there isn’t a good one…everybody else thinks so seems to get pulled out as if that is a reason. But it’s really not. Being aware of this allows you to respond and again ask for a reason, rather than just react and be persuaded against your own true feelings. It is good to be open to and consider other peoples opinions when things actually concern and affect them. But, be careful not to just abandon your own needs and concerns just because you’ve been told a group thinks otherwise…especially when decisions and outcomes don’t even affect them. Every person has wants, needs, and opinions, and yours are just as valid and important as those of anyone else. ”
Doe Zantamata
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