How can I learn to be more accepting and tolerant of others to increase my overall happiness and reduce conflicts in my relationships?
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Accept Tolerance: The Path to Increased Happiness
We all have different thoughts, opinions, and beliefs. It is important to develop the skills of accepting and tolerating others, as it has a direct effect on our overall happiness, and can reduce conflicts in our relationships.
Be Mindful of Your Thinking
The first step to accepting and tolerating others is to be mindful of your own thinking. Pay attention to what you tell yourself about the people around you. Become aware of any thoughts that align with punishing them for thinking and behaving the way they do. Work to instead think in more constructive, understanding ways.
Put Yourself in Their Shoes
In order to understand and accept others, you must attempt to walk a mile in their shoes. Consider why they do things a certain way, or why they have certain opinions and beliefs. More so, consider what life experiences they have had that have shaped those opinions and beliefs. You may come to find that everyone is doing the best they can with what they have.
Grow in Compassion
Now that you know that everyone is doing the best they can with what they have, it is important to grow in compassion and empathy. Acknowledge and honor their experiences as legitimate and important, without judgment and without fixating on the differences that exist.
Focus On Mutual Respect
- Seek to understand: Show interest in the thoughts, experiences, and beliefs of other people, and strive to really understand them.
- Listen without judgment: Allow people to express their beliefs without feeling the need to correct them or judge them.
- Justify, don’t debate: People have different opinions, but there is no need to debate them. Instead, come to a mutual understanding and respect.
- Honor Differences: Both differences of opinion and identity can and should be accepted and respected.
Conclusion
By learning to accept and tolerate the thoughts and opinions of others, we can increase our own happiness and reduce conflict in our relationships. We will also be able to cultivate deeper, more meaningful relationships and unlock more dimensions of joy in our lives.
