5 Tips on How to Balance Opposite Personalities
We all think we’re angels, and we’re all inclined to blame problems on someone else. Well, guess what? When you’re blaming them, they’re blaming you too. It’s hard to find people you can get along with 24/7, and sometimes you have that great friend you love, but God forbid you ever have to spend a lot of time with them one-on-one.
You’d crack. It’s not that you don’t have fun with them; it’s just that sometimes dealing with someone who has an opposite personality from you might be a little too difficult. Here are five tips on how to balance opposite personalities.
1. Be Open-Minded and Compromise
You’re artsy, and they’re athletic. Why not try doing what they love? Sure, it might suck, but you never know. Besides, you might get a deeper insight into their character.
It’ll also show that you’re trying, and an argument will be less likely to arise because of the effort you put in.
If you’re judgmental, you close yourself off from any connection, and they’ll be able to see that. I’m not saying you must change yourself to fit their personality, but as long as you try to understand it and don’t judge, you’ll get along with them better.
2. Walk a Mile in Their Shoes
Try to see things from their perspective. Some of your personality traits might be annoying or downright weird. I know I’m an extremely picky eater, and that’s not fun to deal with. But when people see things from my point of view and respect them, I’m even more willing to see things from their point of view as well.
You also never know what the other person might be struggling with that is making their personality challenging to handle. Think about that before you say anything because you might not know the whole story.
3. Know Who You’re Dealing With
Know what their ticks are, what sets them off, and things that you have to compromise with them on. If not, and you ignore the signs, arguments will explode. You’ll be happier in the long run if you know how to avoid disputes with them.
4. Give Yourself Breaks
No matter how hard you try, if you are constantly trying to balance your personality with the opposite of yours, you’re going to break. Rather than saying something you’ll regret later and make getting along even harder, walk away. Don’t schedule long periods with them.
If you do, don’t be afraid to say you want to go on a walk alone or tell them you want some quiet time to read or don’t be scared to run to the bathroom and have a calming stare-down with your reflection in the mirror as you gather yourself. If you feel yourself starting to break, you need a break. You and the other person will appreciate it.
5. Be Positive!
If you’re stuck in the unthinkable—a long extended period with them, be positive! Don’t turn aggressive, and don’t make snippy remarks. Also, start with something like, “I see where you’re coming from” or “That’s a good idea.
I was also thinking we could…” to show that you understand and you’re not shutting them down. It will cause chaos to break loose if you start your sentence with something like, “That’s a stupid idea.”
Balancing opposite personalities is tough. Some of my best friends I even have a hard time dealing with in large doses. These are the tips and tricks I use to balance our personalities and keep our friendship strong.
