If there is one word that I am sick and tired of hearing get thrown around by people as something negative it is Compromise. The idea of compromising is always one that nobody totally wants to do. To many people just the thought of having to give up something they want is enough to turn them away, even if they are getting something even better by doing so. With America being so divided as of lately with everyone picking sides and acting like it is a "us or them" situation just to discuss ANYTHING involving our country the situation for Compromise has only become worse. As someone who is actually capable of swallowing pride and thinking for themselves, I have had just about enough of this and am going to with a few examples show how Compromise is by no means a weakness.

You Can't Always Get What You Want.. But You Can Get Pretty Close

Something that everyone needs to learn eventually in life is that you are not always going to get what you want, or at least not when or how you want it. Usually there will be something, or someone, in your way. You can honestly get pretty close to what you want though just through compromise. As an example, let's say you have for your whole life dreamed of having a specific car. You know everything that you want about that car from the paint color to how the interior feels to sit in. You finally find that car you want but get this, it's blue and you wanted a red one! Now you can go one of two ways here. You could turn away and kick yourself later for not getting what you wanted just because of a detail or you could shrug and take what you can get. That is an elementary example and a far cry from how complex some compromises can be, but you get the point. What matters more? An empty glass or a half full one?

Compromise Actually Gets Things Done

Have you ever heard the paradoxical phrase "what happens when an unstoppable force meets an unmovable object"? That is what a situation is like when two sides absolutely refuse to compromise, and it is a pretty clear image of America's current political standing. Its no wonder that people are starting to turn towards third parties these days considering how alienating both major parties have become. If one wants something the other has to do everything in its power to stand in its way. So what is the result of that? Zilch. Nothing gets done because one side wants it one way and the other side wants the opposite. Nothing but wasted time (and tax dollars) because of refusal to submit and negotiate, you know the point of politicians! At almost every point in American history where we see two opposing sides meet and actual progress happen it is because of a compromise! History does not lie and it strongly vouches for compromises!

Can Create Unity And Better Relations

Groups that are able to compromise are also able to typically find some kind of level of understanding of each other and no matter how minimal that understanding may be, that is still a step up from what was had before. In literally every situation where I have ever used a compromise, and I use them fairly often when I have disagreements, the result has been a better relation between me and the other party. Compromises are beneficial to everyone.

Gives New Opportunities

Another benefit of Compromises is that they can lead to new opportunities. Someone looking to gain one thing can end up gaining something entirely different and maybe even better than what they wanted from a compromise. Let's go with another elementary take on this concept: Jack has a bag of skittles but he really wants some sour patch kids. He goes to his sister expecting her to have some to trade but she is out and instead gives him a candy he has never tried before, Twizzlers. Jack ends up loving them and they become his new favorite candy. Once again, extremely childish and simplistic but you get the point.

Can Be Flexible

Compromises also have the advantage of being relatively flexible in nature versus when opposing sides go all in on their wants. When someone has decided that there is one and one way only that something can go it inadvertently makes huge hassle for that person to actually achieve that goal. By having a willingness to compromise and give up attached ideas to this goal and exchange them for new ones the chances of actually reaching the said goal increase immensely. This is also helpful since compromises might not always work out but can more easily be worked out when they don't versus when one side gets everything and has to work it out on their own.

People need to learn that having a willingness to compromise is not a weakness! It is a strength that is honestly unrivaled and in my opinion a true sign of leadership. It is time for us to stop throwing it around like it is a cardinal sin when someone dares to actually consider it! If there is one thing that I will not compromise on, it is that we all need a bit more compromises in our lives.