How to Get Along with Anyone
It doesn’t matter where you go, where you live or who you work with – there will always be someone you don’t get along with. This could be a family member, a colleague or a friend in your social circle. I’ve learned, if you don’t find a way to cope with them, the same type of person will keep coming into your life to teach you that same lesson.
So how do you get along with someone you don’t like?
With gratitude.
I know what you’re thinking: Impossible! How could you possibly be grateful for someone who’s caused you so much misery?
It can be done. A little while ago I did some work with a challenging personality who was condescending, patronising and not very genuine at all. He was the opposite of everything I valued in a person and I dreaded seeing him everyday. But with this exercise I’m going to share with you, we found a common ground of mutual respect and even admiration for each other.
The first time I did this, I thought it was a total fluke – sheer luck. But then the same kind of person entered my life again and when I did this exercise, our relationship transformed.
It’s not magic. It’s gratitude. Here’s how to practice it.
What You Need:
- A quiet space
- Pen and paper
- Good intentions
Write down 10 things you appreciate about this person.
If this is a relationship that really needs fixing, it might take time for you to find something to be grateful for. When I first did the exercise, I found 3 things I was genuinely grateful for. And in time, I found more and more things. When you focus on the good in people, you will find more good things – it’s a very simple truth.
Rinse and repeat and you will start to find more things to be grateful for. When you’ve genuinely thought of 10 things to be grateful for this person in your life, you will witness your relationship transform.
As I read earlier this week, 10% of life is what happens to you, 90% of life is how you react to it.
This isn’t just an exercise you can do with colleagues. If you’re having issues with your partner and find yourself fighting a lot lately, you can try it too.
I would LOVE to know how you go with this exercise.
Coming to you with lots of love,
Iona
Photo Credit: Averie Wooard
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