Deck to Page #19
Deck: Mindful Souls ‘Soul Bridges’
Category: Connect = Explore the relationships that matter most
Prompt: “Tell me about a time you disagreed with someone close to you.
My answer came quickly.
Every time I disagree with my husband.
Not because we are constantly in conflict.
Not because our relationship is fragile.
But because when you are deeply connected to someone — truly partnered — disagreement is inevitable.
We see the world through different lenses.
We process at different speeds.
We prioritize different details.
And sometimes those differences press against each other.
Disagreements in close relationships are rarely about the surface issue. They are about interpretation. Timing. Tone. Unmet expectations. Fatigue. History. Stress. Identity.
When my husband and I disagree, what’s actually happening is two nervous systems trying to protect what matters to them.
Sometimes it’s about work.
Sometimes it’s about direction.
Sometimes it’s about timing.
And occasionally, it’s about nothing at all — just two humans being human.
What I’ve come to understand is this:
Disagreement is not disconnected.
In fact, when handled with care, it can deepen connection.
There have been moments when we saw something entirely differently — and neither of us was “wrong.” We were simply standing in different places.
He might be thinking about logistics, sustainability, and structure.
I might be thinking about energy, meaning, impact.
Neither cancels the other.
Sometimes our disagreements are about the future — where we want to be, what we want to build, how much change is too much, or not enough.
Sometimes they are about the present — who is tired, who feels unheard, who needs reassurance but doesn’t quite know how to ask for it.
And here’s the part that matters most:
The goal is not to win.
The goal is to understand.
In close relationships, disagreement becomes an invitation:
Can you stay present?
Can you stay respectful?
Can you stay curious?
Can you remember that you are on the same team?
I used to think harmony meant agreement.
Now I understand harmony means two different notes played intentionally together.
Connection isn’t proven by how often we agree.
It’s proven by how we return to each other afterward.
And every disagreement with someone close to us is a chance to practice that return.
Reflection Prompts
- When was the last time you disagreed with someone you love?
- Were you trying to be understood — or trying to understand?
- What did that disagreement reveal about what matters most to you?
- How do you repair after conflict?
- Can disagreement exist without threatening connection?
Sometimes the most connected relationships are not the ones without friction —
they are the ones where both people are willing to lean in instead of walking away.
Theresa
Flexible Being
Empowering Your Journey to Healing, Clarity, and Self-Discovery.
Thank you for being here. If you enjoyed this post, there’s plenty more where that came from, everything from soulful healing tips to playful prompts and real conversations about life.
Find me and connect today. I want to learn about your story:
Email: theresa@flexiblebeing.com
Website: www.flexiblebeing.com
Instagram:
@theresamartinezshapiro
@flexiblebeing
Facebook:
@flexiblebeingonline
Theresa Martinez-Shapiro
Hello! I am Theresa Martinez-Shapiro; Wife to Robert. Founder of Flexible Being. A Master Reiki Therapist, Certified Oracle Guide, Spiritual Mentor/Guide, Intuitive Empath, Coach, and Educator. I am a fur mom to 3 cats and 1 dog – Sonny, Patches, Ryelee, and Winnie. We currently live and practice in Stockton, California. We operate three businesses – Shapiro Holistic Health and Chiropractic, Fusion Health APC, and Synergy Health MSO, where we seek to improve and change the lives of our patients and those we have the privilege of crossing paths with. My healing and mentoring journey began around 5 years old when I discovered that I was put on this planet to help others. I knew I was different, unique, and gifted. I did not see the world the same way everyone else did, and recognized I was meant to do so much more. I began to research, spending a lot of time reading & asking a lot of questions to anyone that wanted to share stories about their life experiences. I am a dreamer and had a unique relationship with the dream world. My very real, vivid & lucid dreams began turning into out-of-body experiences and unexplained occurrences. I began doing my own dream interpretations to look for patterns & a new way of deciphering life. Family members were part of many different religions, so I was educated in Catholicism, Buddhism, Metaphysics, and Native American culture & beliefs. Along the way, I took up multiple mentors that cultivated my growth and expansion of my gifts, allowing me to focus on my potential and purpose. As an adult, coworkers were unloading their life stories, internal secrets, and things that had not been shared or even spoken out loud. I began to share those experiences with my aunt & Reiki Master/Teacher, Carmen. In 2012, Carmen told me, “I think you are ready to walk the path I always knew you were meant to walk”. That saying began my obsessive journey into Reiki, Spirituality, Psychology, Intuition and Psychic gifts, Meditation and Mindfulness, Past Lives, Consciousness, Energy Medicine, Mysteries of the Universe, Moon and Sun cycles, Astrology, Numerology, Oracle Cards, Shamanism, & so much more. My journey has helped me to assist patients, clients, families, and friends discover who they have been, who they are, and who they want to become. I am expanding my reach and educating others by authoring Musings of a Flexible Being, and I look forward to sharing my journey with you. Thank you! Theresa Martinez-Shapiro Flexible Being Website: www.flexiblebeing.com Socials: Facebook: @flexiblebeingonline Instagram:@theresamartinezshapiro Instagram: @flexiblebeing
