The Sunshine Report The Courage to Make the First Move Jay shares insights on ‘Being the Bigger Person’ and the many benefits it can provide. Here’s a positive thought. I want you to think back to a moment in your life when you found yourself in a disagreement with someone. Perhaps that moment was uncomfortable, and things were said that left some bitterness behind, maybe even to the extent that you felt like you didn’t want to talk to the other person ever again. In these moments, we tend to want to feel validated, looking to win rather than to do what is right, or necessary, or best for everyone involved. Our ego gets the better of us as well, looking to protect our pride over anything. But in today’s climate, where divisiveness seems to be the norm, how can we choose instead to be ‘the bigger person’? When we get into an argument, or a disagreement, we often view it as a zero-sum game where there must be a winner, and that is us. But when we’re able to look beyond this understanding of a dispute and, in fairly simple terms, ‘be the bigger person’, we not only help encourage healthy debate, we can do so without compromising our own convictions or principles. There are a lot of different themes we touch upon in the Sunshine Report that relate back to this idea of being the bigger person. We’ve spoken about finding common ground and also paying it forward. Similarly, the ability to be the bigger person in a tense or contentious moment promotes both these ideas as well. Choosing to be the bigger person doesn’t necessarily mean walking away from a debate or difficult conversation. Instead, being the bigger person involves active listening, asking the other person questions to better understand their position, helping them feel heard and that their opinion is valued, even if you might not agree with it. It’s a solutions-based approach that actually, when put into practice properly can create the basis for incredibly constructive dialogue that helps provide clarity and purpose. The truth is, most arguments give us a faulty sense of reality, confining us to a very binary understanding of right and wrong, when in fact it’s not so black and white. Being the bigger person might also mean taking responsibility for one’s role in a conflict, especially when both parties might share blame. The other side of that coin is that someone may simply have a different perspective on the same issue, which doesn’t make them wrong, it just differs from what we believe. Yet as we’ve also discussed in the Sunshine Report, respecting the rights of others to believe what they believe in is the basis of a free society. So, in some ways, the ability to be the bigger person isn’t just about a simple disagreement, by practicing this, it’s also helping to reinforce one of our fundamental rights as free people. So, the next time you find yourself in a tough situation, a disagreement, or maybe even a full-blown argument, take a step back, and see how you can be a peacemaker by ‘being the bigger person’. Read The Full Report Happy Lafayette Day! Read More Coffee? Yes, Please! And, Some Fun Facts Read More Positive Profile of the Week: Virginia Drew This week we are delighted to highlight Virginia Drew of Epsom, NH. Virginia is one of the most impactful people in the State of New Hampshire – and here’s why… Virginia is the Director of the New Hampshire State Visitor Center - which means she connects with all the visitors and oversees all the tours at the historic New Hampshire State House, the oldest State House in the country in continual operation. Virginia welcomes and ensures that everyone visiting our State Capitol gets a unique visiting experience and can fully embrace what makes our State Capitol so special. And, by no means is Virginia new to the State House herself, having worked there for over 22 years. She prides herself on her ability to connect with people and enjoys meeting all the legislators (all 424 of them!). Perhaps her biggest contribution is overseeing all the class tours (4th grade trip anyone?) to Concord which amounts to over 30,000 children a year! Virginia’s job is a lot more than just helping visitors though. She is also tasked with preserving the many portraits in the State House, some of which are over 12 feet tall. If you have never been in the State House, I highly recommend not only a tour but taking extra time to appreciate the many hand painted portraits of some of the legends of our state. Outside of Concord, Drew is an active member in the town of Epsom where she is a selectman and has served as a school board member, on the planning board, and budget committee. In fact, the one place she may know even better than our State House is Epsom! Thank you, Virginia for all you do for our state and Epsom! We love your enthusiasm, your deep knowledge and your passion for our wonderful Granite State! Quotes of the Week “Love people who hate you. Pray for people who have wronged you. It won’t just change their life…it’ll change yours.” Mandy Hale Jay Lucas | www.JayLucas.us  ‌ ‌ ‌ Jay Lucas | 7 Portwalk Pl, Portsmouth, NH 03801 Unsubscribe [email protected] Update Profile | Constant Contact Data Notice Sent by [email protected]