If staying quiet makes things easier, should we not say anything in a personal or general situation even when we strongly disagree?

Sometimes speaking about how I feel has made people dislike me, and I have been reprimanded by close people for making issues out of dust.

Reflecting upon that time, I realize that when I was judged or generalized in a negative way, I wasn’t always at fault. The person who had sent the feedback my way was scrutinizing me under the lens of her own negativity, jealousy, inexperience, and voyeuristic instincts.

But I stopped responding to those negative comments as I was scared of being further sucked into the whirlpool of criticism attracting the remarks of being irritable or angry. I wish I could have spoken for myself in a polite and friendly manner. But I didn’t know any better.

Because I didn’t stand up gaily for myself then, I never got closure, and a lot of those comments still hurt me and have estranged my relationship with those people. They haven’t changed and aren’t even aware of the harms caused.

Standing up for oneself modestly is important to save relationships. We can smile and take feedback and tell what we think is right and then move on.