Hi Team Brooke,

A dear friend of mine accused me of xy. When I tried to explain, she ignored what I said and repeated her point while calling my point of view “cynical”. I’m pissed (thought: She insults me without listening and without a valid reason).

I WANT to be pissed (I expect my friend to listen to me and not to insult me).

I’m sure my friend was having a bad and stressed-out time because of corona fears and this made her act in untypical ways. She probably really thought I said what she accused me of (but I didn’t and already tried to explain with said result). A few weeks have passed and the corona situation is much better now, here in Europe. I want to reach out to her in a constructive, but self-respecting way.

My Q: How can I stay true to myself (I feel hurt and angry by her behavior) and at the same time be understanding towards her (while not knowing if she can be more open in the meantime)?

Thanks for helping me clear that up.