There are times when people—people you know and love and care about—may not respond the way you’d like them to. In your mind, you are reaching out and trying to connect, trying to engage on a heart level, but their response is not what you were hoping for. 

When that happens it is very easy to shift into a mode of blaming them, or being resentful at their negative reaction. But when you are silent, and can take a moment or two to think about yourself and the situation with a degree of objectivity, you can consider the fact that the problem may still—at least to some degree—lie with you. What have you  done to contribute to this situation? What can you own, or speak? 

When you can do that, even if you cannot change the situation, or others’ reactions to you, you can fully engage and own—and even change your part, YOUR life, YOUR words. 

That means you have agency, and impact, and options, and choices. 

But it may be more difficult than you think, because you may be more broken than you initially thought you were.