What's the risk?

Every meaningful conversation has risk.

Someone might get mad.
You might get misunderstood.
You might get your mind changed about something you were supposed to be sure of.

So we brace ourselves.
Or we don’t say anything at all.

We avoid the conversation, or we rehearse it so tightly in our head that it dies before it’s spoken.

Here’s the rub: Most of what we fear isn’t catastrophic—it’s just uncomfortable. And most of what we don’t do ends up costing us more than we think.

Avoiding a hard conversation? Be sure that’ll play out in your mind on repeat.
Not asking someone how they really are? That might mean they keep carrying it alone.
Staying shallow to avoid awkwardness? That might be why you feel disconnected.

Ask yourself, what does avoiding this cost?

If it’s just discomfort, while the reward is trust or clarity or a sense of peace—you probably want to risk it.