Stepping Stones: A Quick Fix: I Instead of You

Transformational Thought

We all struggle with communicating clearly. Sometimes we have so much in our heads that it’s hard to say it all in a couple sentences. Sometimes it is complicated and we get confused or overwhelmed. Other times, we have so much emotion inside that we have trouble being assertive without being too aggressive and attacking.

As in any area of life, some quick tips and helpful techniques allow a more healthy process occur in uncertain or difficult circumstances. One of these tips is communicating with “I” messages rather than “you” messages. This can be an easy key to facilitate successful communication and eliminate some obstacles when navigating conflict in any relationship.

“You” messages sound like this:You just don't care … You are a problem … Can't you …? You are sooo … Usually “you” messages get the other person on the defensive and often times attribute to them things they didn’t really do and motives they didn’t really have. You don’t know for sure what was going on in them, so you are jumping to conclusions.

“I” messages deal with items you do know. They convey what you feel or what you experienced. Here are some examples: I feel very angry because … I feel rejected when … When I get interrupted, I feel ….

Instead of “When you blew me off and forgot to pick me up on time, you rejected me,” you can say “When I didn’t get picked up on time, I felt unimportant.” You aren’t saying what the other person did or why, you are just stating the situation as you know and experienced it. Hopefully, the other person can do the same and you can share what is in each other’s heart instead of holding a blame and judgment fest.

“I” messages communicate honesty and openness. The Bible teaches us to build up, not tear down. Using “I” messages, we are less likely to harm and break down others, while still allowing ourselves to be open, honest, transparent, and vulnerable.

Today, monitor your speech. How many times do you use “you” statements? Try practicing even in good circumstances. “When I have the door opened for me, I feel special. Thank you for holding the door for me!” Then you will be more apt to use “I” statements in the more difficult times where communication is essential. When in a conflict, you can also ask the other party to use I statements as well to tell you what happened and how they felt in the situation.

Prayer
Dear Father God, help me to be more gracious in communicating with my spouse and loved ones. The ones I care about the most seem to be the ones I get most upset with and make accusatory statements to. Help me understand myself better and take responsibility for what comes out of my mouth, for my feelings, and most importantly, what is in my heart. Help me to build up and not tear down. I pray this and all prayers in the name of the One you sent to teach me, Jesus Christ; and all God’s children say - AMEN!

The Truth
Be gracious in your speech. The goal is to bring out the best in others in a conversation, not put them down, and not cut them out.
Colossians 4:6