Conflict Reflection

I am from the Middle East; Saudi Arabia, Makkah city. I come from a big family of 5 sisters and 2 brothers. With regards to religion, I am Muslim. To some extent, this background has affected the way I deal with conflict. Based on our cultural beliefs, the young individuals are usually expected to respect their elders at all times. This had affected how I used to deal with conflict when it involved someone superior to me; be it a colleague, friend or sibling. This is because I used the styles of avoiding the conflict and giving in (accommodating).

This was more because I feared that it would appear as if I am disrespecting the elder ones. This meant that I accommodated the other party’s proponents by accepting and acknowledging their point of view. It was more like having the other party have their way at my own expense. I realized that despite these styles solving the conflict, they left me feeling resentment towards the other party.

However, my conflict response patterns have changed compared to how they were earlier. Now I embrace the styles of standing my ground and compromising. This means that I will not to agree with something that I do not believe in just because it is coming from a particular individual. When it comes to compromising, each party has to give up something so that there can be a common ground. This means negotiating the larger points and letting go of the smaller points.

Changes in my ideology have been brought about by my stay here in the United States. I have interacted with people from different cultural backgrounds. In the process, I have realized that standing for what one believes in is not a way of disrespecting others, but more of a way of expressing yourself. This ensures that people do not take advantage of you.

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