What follows is the weekly column that Wellness Compass sends out each week.  The column is a companion to this weekly podcast. You can subsribe to our column at our WellnessCompass.org website.  

Are You Seeking Comfort or Solutions?

This week, we have a simple yet very effective tip regarding communication in our relationships. 

When a person is talking to you about something that is upsetting them, discern within yourself whether they are seeking comfort or solutions. Typically, the more emotionally upset they are, the more they are seeking and needing comfort. If you are not sure, the best thing to do is ask. While this sounds simple, it is often difficult to remember to put into practice.

When we offer advice or try to fix a problem that another person is having, and that is not what they are seeking, such advice will almost always result in further hurt and anger, as they are probably emotionally flooded. The "helper" often tries to recover by saying, "I was just trying to help," and may now feel hurt and angry as well. If their intention to help had been guided by the question, "Are they seeking comfort or solutions?" they likely would have fared better.

In general, we will never regret offering comforting responses, such as, "I'm so sorry this is happening," "I  see why you are so upset," "I've got your back," or "I am here for you any time you need to talk." If we start with offering comfort, and then the person wants advice at some point, they will more likely feel safe asking for it.  If, on the other hand,  we begin by providing solutions, we may not ever get the chance to truly offer comfort as the person may now be even more upset.

The  "fix-it" response may seem wise as we may think we know exactly what the person needs to do-- and after all, isn't that the best thing we can offer?  No, it's not—not if the person isn't wanting advice.

We can also apply this wisdom of asking for comfort rather than solutions to guide our talking with others when we are upset.  Rather than merely hoping and assuming that the other person knows what we need, it's good practice actually to let them know. "I have something I need to talk about right now, and just to be clear, I am not looking for advice or solutions. I simply need someone to listen to my feelings and frustration right now," might be a good way to start.

Making it Personal: As you go through your weeks, watch for opportunities to practice deciding if you or another needs comfort or solutions in times of stress, and let us know how it goes.