Taboos in Relationships

Taboos in Relationships When we think of taboos, there are two main areas, i.e., traditional or cultural taboos and the personal taboos. Traditional or cultural taboos have always defined human beings’ collective ways of life, but they also have silenced many voices, killed many dreams, and destroyed many lives. It is true that human beings find a sense of belongingness in their cultural beliefs and practices. Year after year, it, thus, forms their certain behavior and, gradually, shapes how they eat, talk, and even think. Of course, through many years, they won’t allow the actions or opinions to violate their convictions and taboos. Therefore, in society, taboos exist as hidden codes for people to fight against oppositions. It’s much better for us to understand the taboos around the world in order to live peacefully by ourselves and with others. As for the personal taboos, they are the deep conceptions that we carry about ourselves to deal with other people and live in the world. They are formed in our childhood through families, cultures and experiences, and they can quietly shape our decisions, relationships, and sense of purpose throughout our lives. Understanding our personal beliefs and taboos is one of the most powerful things that we can do for our self-awareness because what we believe determines how we live. Family is our first primary teacher. Our parents, grandparents and caregivers teach us a set of basic principles about how the world works. Then, we learn skills and abilities from education, peer groups, communities and works. Actually, our personal beliefs directly influence our career choices, perceptions, decisions, relationships, and behavior. They operate as mental frameworks that filter how we interpret our life experiences. As the matter of fact, we are not perfect, and we might have our own taboos due to our personal preferences which are different from others. No matter what kinds of relationships in our lives, for example, family members, relatives and friends, navigating people with strong personal beliefs and opinions can really be a challenge. We have to be very careful not to touch the main points of their taboos in order to keep the harmonious conversations and discussions. Stubborn and opinionated people with their taboos often hold firmly to their perspectives, are persistent about promoting their viewpoints when faced with opposite information, and are resistant to changing their views. They rarely admit their biases, but yet, on the contrary, they reveal their blind spots. We should say that people consistently cling to their positions because they believe deeply in them. In this case, it is crucial that, at first, we won’t object them. There would be real value in actively listening, even though we might disagree with them. Perhaps, by asking follow-up questions or clarifying their perspectives, we could demonstrate our genuine curiosity about their viewpoints, showing them that their voice is heard. When we stay mindful of our reactions, at least, we can better guide the dialogues and avoid unnecessary conflicts. Despite our good intentions without knowing the personal taboos, it is still unfair for us to receive criticism and judgment from stubborn and opinionated people. In terms of the personal taboos, it is clear that they won’t change the attitudes, and it’s not the question of right and wrong. We might try to express our kindness to them and the issues. And then, maybe, we can look for the validation and acceptance somewhere else. Instead of retaliating in anger, we could acknowledge the opinions, but don’t engage further in discussions. That is the wise way to handle the personal taboos in our relationships. We are humans, after all, and we would confront lots of difficulties all the time in our lives. However, best of all, we could have complete confidence to show good responses, and are fully in charge of favorable situations. Powered by Firstory Hosting