A conversation that raises our heart rate, that leaves us flustered, that gives us a pit in our stomach or butterflies in our heart, is a tricky conversation. These will differ for everyone—flirting or asking for a raise can be hard for one of us and easy for another. But we all have moments when we feel the blood pumping and know something important is at stake.

The first thing we ask ourselves is: “Is this conversation worth the risk?” Then, “What is at risk if we DO NOT______ (disagree, ask for what we want, set a boundary)?”

Some of the hardest conversations to have are the ones we must have. There can be a dread or fury that lives in our own bodies, in our cells, that hurts us and calcifies over time, if we do not speak out. We think we can…Read on.