Ever notice how much easier it is to point at a person and say, “YOU are the problem”? Yeah, me too. But here’s the truth: people aren’t the problem—problems are the problem. And when we stop confusing the two, everything gets lighter, easier, and way more solvable.

In this episode of the Bloom Your Mind Podcast, we’re going one layer deeper into conflict resolution and flipping the script: instead of making the person the issue, we learn how to sit shoulder-to-shoulder and face the actual issue together.

We’ll cover:

• Why this shift matters for your relationships, your problem-solving chops, and your ability to bring ideas to life.
• Why it’s a huge waste of time and energy to follow our brains down the rabbit hole of making others the problem and make ourselves the problem
• Betty Pries’ five roots of conflict (resources, history, structures, values, and communication) and how they show up in everyday life.
• Four laughably real examples of moving from “You’re the worst” to “Hey, looks like we have a trash monster problem.”
• A step-by-step exercise to help you spot where you’re making someone the problem, reframe it, and approach them in a way that makes collaboration actually possible.

Spoiler: once you stop turning people into villains and start tackling the real problem, you’ll save yourself a ton of drama, resentment, and late-night imaginary arguments in the shower. You’ll also have WAY more time to focus on making your ideas real.

✨ Your homework: Identify one spot in your life where you’ve been making a person the problem. Reframe it into a problem problem instead, then try out the “same side of the table” approach. Bonus points if you use humor to call out the real monster.

✨ Share this episode with someone you love who might be making you the problem 😉

Mentioned on this episode:

• Listen to last week’s episode on resolving conflict if you missed it (it sets the stage for today).

How to connect with Marie:

• On the Web | The Local Bloom
• Instagram: @the.bloom.coach
• All Things Marie on LinkTree

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We'll take all these ideas and apply them to our lives. Follow me on Instagram at @the.bloom.coach to learn more and snag a spot in my group coaching program!