Confrontation has an aggressive connotation associated with it. This does makes sense in a way since confronting someone is a quite an upfront move, but in our society it’s should be a necessity. It’s a skill we all should acquire.

We constantly wonder, “What does (insert name here) really feel about this?”. We constantly wish we could read others minds. We constantly crave to know the unknown.

Why wait with questions when you can easily find the answers yourself? Why do we fear to speak out what’s on our minds? Why do we fear trying to find the truth?

It doesn’t matter how big or small the question is. It could be telling your roommate to tidy up their side of the room or asking someone the clarification of what your relationship is. Just ask. Don’t be left in the unknown. But when you do ask, remember to not be angry and calmly ask. It’s a frightening situation for both parties.

I can personally attest that sometimes hearing the truth is scary. What if it’s not what we want to hear? But what if it is?

Hearing the honest truth may sometimes hurt but you will be grateful to know instead of forever questioning and being paranoid of not knowing. Avoiding asking the “hard questions”, especially to those closest to you, will usually just make you feel worse and make the situation worse. You’re allowing the problem to fester to something even more difficult when you aren’t proactive in confronting it head on. Usually, being upfront avoids the confrontation altogether.

I know it may seem like an interrogation when someone confronts you with how they truly feel. It is intimidating. But please hear them out and give them the honesty they deserve.

We as a society need to learn to be vulnerable enough to be open to give and receive honesty. Until we are all comfortable to be brave to do this, let’s be brave to conquer the fear of confronting others. Sometimes verbal communication outweighs the nonverbal when in need for clarification.