Send An E-mail To Yourself

Send an E-mail to Yourself

For two weeks in a row, I wrote out e-mails that I wanted to send but knew I shouldn’t. They were defensive, came from frustration, and would have led to greater friction had I sent them to their intended recipients. So, do you know what I did with them? I sent them to myself.

This proved to be fruitful because, when we did discuss the matters at hand, I had framed up some key talking points. Additionally, not sending them to anyone but myself allowed me to rest, reflect, and put some space between the emotions I was feeling and what was really necessary to move the ball down the field.

One of the worst ways to handle conflict is by sending an e-mail. Written communication doesn’t allow for the recipient to see the nonverbal communication that may soften the message. The recipient may hear emotion that you did not intend, and the offense can grow deeper and wider because of this poor approach to communication.

Don’t be hasty. If you find therapy in hitting Send, write an e-mail to yourself. This will help eliminate strife and pride. Take some time to process the situation and discern what really needs to be said, but do it with a level head. I promise you that you will be glad you took this approach. Proverbs 13:10 states, “Pride leads to conflict; those who take advice are wise.” Take out the pride and see peace come.

Pride leads to conflict; those who take advice are wise.

Proverbs 13:10