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Three Ways to Manage Difficult Conversations … Learn to Stand up for Yourself

30 Monday Apr 2012

Posted by Sarina in Conflict, Friendships, Relationships, Respect and Honor, Stress Strategies

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Rainbow at Machu Picchu, Peru One of my next Travel Adventures - Climbing Machu Picchu!

As much as I’m a very honest straight forward tell-it-like-it-is type of person, truth be told, I sometimes struggle with having those difficult confrontational conversations. Having to tell others “no” or how you will not spend time with them because you don’t agree with the decisions they make or their lifestyle or how they complain about everything but do nothing to change the situation, can be stressful and apprehensive.

Perhaps, it may be about how you are insulted or bothered by something a friend or coworker did, and you are not sure where it is coming from or the reason for such behavior. It could very well be nothing that you have done wrong at all, and this person may be angry or jealous of you for some reason that you [Continue Reading...]

Setting Boundaries – Being Bold or Less Confrontational

09 Monday Apr 2012

Posted by Sarina in Conflict, Friendships, Life Lessons, Relationships, Stress Strategies

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At a very young age, I learned that I needed to distance myself from people who weren’t truly my friends and even from my mother who has a dysfunctional approach to life. Basically, I came to understand the importance of creating boundaries to protect myself. As detached and awful as this might seem to some, it was absolutely essential in order for me to focus my energy and efforts on what was most significant during my childhood all the way through my college years – my education and creating a better life for myself.

So let me share what worked for me, and feel free to use what works and feels comfortable for you at this time. Perhaps you are not ready to have that confrontational conversation to share how you [Continue Reading...]

Friends & Expectations – Feeling Misunderstood

24 Saturday Mar 2012

Posted by Sarina in Conflict, Friendships, Life Lessons, Relationships, Respect and Honor

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Ashley and Sarina in Monaco, France – Contiki Europe Tour 7/2011

On Friday, I was really feeling like that sad 5th grader that no one wanted to be friends with or spend time with because I kept messing up, didn’t always interact in the socially acceptable way or meet my friends’ expectations.

Mind you, I’ve come a long way in my life with friendships, relationships, and even in my career. However, back in Elementary School up through Middle School, I was the kid that had few true friends, and didn’t really have friends that stood up for me when being bullied or teased at school.

Getting back to how I was feeling yesterday. Earlier in the week, I reached out to one of my close friends from High School, Ashley, to see if we could get together this weekend and catch up. I [Continue Reading...]