I would wager most of us, at this point in life, have heard of or are relatively familiar with the idea of tough love. In the unlikely instance you don’t know what tough love comprises, it’s the idea that sometimes we have to be brutally honest or harsh with someone we care deeply about, and potentially hurt their feelings, in order to rectify an error or mistake of some sort.
Tough love can be tricky to navigate. On the one hand, you’re aware that the person you’re dealing with needs to be told some hard truths in order to better themselves or refrain from doing something they shouldn’t. But on the other hand, despite wanting to help this person, you’re reluctant to communicate to them what they need to hear because of the likelihood of upsetting them. It can be a vicious cycle, and sometimes it can be incredibly difficult trying to discern which route to take.
Not everyone has been on the receiving end of tough love, but I have, and more than once. Was it pleasant being sat down and told by the people I love that something needs to change? Absolutely not. Did hearing these truths upset me? Absolutely. Do I have anger toward the loved ones who expressed some tough love to me when I needed it? Hell no. At least, not anymore. Maybe in that exact moment when it initially happened, sure. If anything, I’m grateful for their intervention because it demonstrates their care, concern and love for me.
Tough love has its name for a reason – it’s tough to tell the people we love and appreciate that they need some help, but regardless of how uncomfortable it is, we do so in hopes of helping the person we are delivering said tough love to, and are almost always better off for it.
Photo by George Pagan III on Unsplash
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