Bravery Looks a Lot Like an Uncomfortable Conversation

How often do you have uncomfortable conversations?

How often do you want to say something to your partner, kids, colleagues, friends, siblings, but you hold back because you are afraid of how it might land? Or afraid of offending? Or simply afraid of the discomfort?

The other day, my daughter said she was scared to tell me something because she thought I’d tell her off. I stopped, looked her in the eye, and said, "It’s completely normal to feel afraid to have uncomfortable conversations. Mummy feels that way too, all the time. But when we see these conversations as acts of bravery and care, maybe we can feel a little more open to having them”.

So let me ask you:

Who do you think is braver? the one who initiates the uncomfortable conversation, or the one who receives it?

I think the person who initiates it is incredibly brave. Why? Because choosing to have a hard conversation often means you care.

It’s so much easier to avoid discomfort.
To leave things unsaid.
To silently quit a job instead of asking for what you need or want to be more engaged.
To walk away from a relationship instead of expressing what’s not working.
To say “we just drifted apart” instead of being honest about how we feel.

But what if we saw uncomfortable conversations as the bridge to a deeper connection?

Initiating one means you are willing to reflect, to face discomfort, and to step into someone else’s perspective. It takes emotional courage. It requires empathy. It demands vulnerability. And yes, it involves risk, but also the potential for growth, resolution, and real understanding.

So next time you're faced with an uncomfortable conversation, remember: it's not just discomfort, it's also a doorway. A doorway to understanding, clarity, and deeper human connection.

Ester Perel, a renowned psychotherapist, quoted this, and I will leave it here for you to reflect on it: “The quality of our relationships depends on the quality of the conversations we’re willing to have”.