Arguing with a significant other, family member or close friend is never easy or ideal. Emotions can run high, tears can be shed. They’re something most people want to avoid but conflict resolution tactics can help. Here are a few important ones that will make your arguments much smoother.
This conflict resolution will clear your mind and calm you down. If emotions are running high, focusing on your breathing help you bring them down a notch. It will give you a few seconds to gather your strength and get down to business.
Reacting based on your initial emotions can often cause more damage. Try to relax and recognise what emotions you are feeling. Acknowledge them and then try to move forward in a calmer way.
There is nothing wrong with feeling intense emotions but sometimes you can say things you don’t really mean in the heat of the moment.
If you are ready to throw down with the person you’re arguing with, remind yourself first who they are and how important they are to you. If they’re someone you want to fight for and not with, carry that with you while you are trying to sort out your issues.
Try not to walk out angry but if you need to take some space to clear your head before the argument gets, remove yourself from the situation. Assure the other person that you’re not running away, you just need some time to think because this is important to you.
If you have done something wrong, own the situation. There is no point denying the situation or trying to run away, there will always be something that will draw you back. Own it and then resolve to fixing the problem.
Listening is one really important conflict resolution to ensure that each side of the argument gets heard. If you listen to them, they will listen to you. You will get a better grasp of the situation from hearing the other person’s side which may help you formulate your issues too. They might be saying something really important that you didn’t understand before.
Wildly accusing and shifting focus from yourself by placing blame is a sure way to have a big blow up. If someone has done something to hurt you explain to them in the clearest possible way how and why they hurt you.
Placing blame makes people defensive which causes them to could lash out. In order to work together, acknowledging that neither are to blame is best.
As a conflict resolution, ask questions to yourself and the other person about how you can prevent the problem. If you don’t want to lose the relationship, focusing on fixing the problem will help you move forward. Remember that it’s you versus the problem not you versus them.
Don’t try to hide your feelings because they will surely pop back up again at some point. If you can’t admit to your partner or friend that you’ve done something wrong, then the arguments will keep happening. Don’t dismiss that this person understands and knows you well, it won’t help you.
This conflict resolution will ensure that the argument may never happen again. Leaving a problem unsolved just leaves room for the argument to be brought up again in a different situation but possibly even worse.
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