When you pause for a brief half-moment and say Yes! instead of reacting with a default No, you immediately dissolve the potential escalating negativity of the situation, and pull the other person’s potential negative reaction out from under their feet.
Yes! does not mean that you are agreeing with everything.
Yes! does not mean that you become a pushover and allow people to disrespect or abuse you.
On the contrary, Yes! is an emotionally intelligent No.
- Yes! I hear you.
- Yes! while I may not agree with you, I understand how you feel this way.
- Yes! I give you permission to feel how you feel.
- Yes! I say all of this without any conditions at all.
Your Yes! must unconditional.
You must surrender to it.
Offer the other person 100% Yes!.
They are right to feel how they feel.
Matt Fried 