Yes, that neighbor.

We get it. You need a break from all of the bickering and political memes and anger that seem to permeate social media. It feels like our country is falling apart. So, you “unfriend” your childhood friend, your coworker, and your dear grandmother instead of engaging in a digital argument.

Cutting people off online doesn’t sound like a big deal, but when we choose to block or remove people with different opinions than us from our circle, we end up creating an echo chamber where the only thoughts we hear are ones that mirror our own. It doesn’t take long to fall into unhealthy patterns of behavior that reinforce our differences and eliminate the opportunity to work together on the issues that matter.

It doesn’t make the family reunion much fun either.

But, what would happen if you were to reach out to people who believe, think, and vote differently than you offline? What would it look like to get to know them better, learn why they believe what they believe, and how they’d tackle the issue at hand? Would you learn that you have more in common with them than you initially thought?

We think so. In fact, we have the research to prove that our country is less divided than we believe.

The polarization in our country is toxic but we don’t have to continue down this path. We’ve been taught that polite people don’t discuss religion or politics (or any other challenging topic), and it seems like every day it becomes harder and harder to have deep conversations. But, we can’t continue like this. We have to learn how to talk to — and work with — the people in our lives regardless of our differences.

Check out our guide below to help you get started!