I Respectfully Disagree

            What do you do when you disagree with someone? Are there ways to disagree? Are there "do"s and "don’t"s with arguing?

            Haha, you bet there is. Here are some things I’ve found helpful when I’ve argued with friends and family:

1. Realize that nothing is wrong with arguing itself. Jesus did it, and you can bet your life that you will argue too. It’s what is said and thought during arguments that makes arguing right or wrong.
2. Ban the words “never” and “always” from your vocabulary. They are extremely incendiary. They hurt like you wouldn’t believe, too.
3. Smile and joke while arguing. Lighten the mood if possible.
4. Agree with the other person whenever possible. Let them know you are on their side.
5. Be honest, but phrase things nicely as well. “You shouldn’t do stupid things all the time, and I’m being honest” isn't beneficially honest. “You probably should spend some more time thinking before you decide to do things, to be honest” is. It’s much softer. It’s wordier, but that’s alright.
6. Keep the goal of the argument always in mind. The goal of your argument wasn’t, most likely, to get in as many shots as possible in. It was to improve life; it was to make things better. Always stay focused on that.
7. Most likely, the other person isn’t going to do an about-face on the issue during the argument. We are just too prideful for that. Keep that in mind. But you can bet that that person is going to be thinking about what you said afterwards. Make sure to phrase things wisely, so when they reflect over what you said later they don’t get angry, but contemplative. “Huh, maybe you are right” might go through their head.

            I’m sure I could think of more, but this is good enough. Remember that arguing isn’t wrong; the results of an argument are supposed to improve the lives of both parties involved.