I have a couple situations brewing in which I’m getting the silent treatment from someone who doesn’t like something I did or said.
One is my teenage son –he asked to spend the day with friends at the last minute and I said no.
One is a colleague–he’s been allowing me to come and help students in his classroom and last week he got mad bc he felt I disrespected him. I initiated a conversation when I sensed he was upset, I listened to his point of view, I apologized, I asked him if he no longer wanted me in his classroom. He said I could still come, but his behavior has been very very chilly and suggests otherwise. Ignoring me in a meeting, ignoring my email, when I ask him a direct question, he’s very abrupt.
C: some humans don’t like something I do or say and stop talking to me
T: This human is being a real jerk
F: pissed off
A: avoid them, continue the silence so I don’t say anything I”ll regret, ruminate about whether i’m at fault here, replay how the situation went down,
R:
Is the R, I’m a real jerk? I don’t feel like I’m being a jerk right now bc I’m not doing anything to them…I’m just stewing about how I feel.
What thought can help move me into a more productive space and accept that people give me the silent treatment?