Whether you are at work, shool, or with your friends and family, it is only natural to engage in conflict once in a while. We cannot alway agree with each other. In order to handle conflict, it is best to pick your battles and think very hard about the person you are debating to maintain your relationship with them.
Listen to what is being said.
Listen to the needs and emotions of other people besides your own. You may be quick to cut off the other person because you feel you will be quick to disagree. You might surprise yourself if you let that person speak without interruption. That way when it is your turn to speak, you will get the same treatment to be heard. Do not just listen to the content of what is being said but the emotion behind it if that person sounds angry or hurt. This will help you decide how to react to what you are hearing.
Make resolving the conflict be the priority instead of being right.
You want to make sure that you maintain your relationship with this person. Do not spend so much time proving you are right. Say what you need to say and let them figure it out on their own. Even if the person you are arguing with is not your friend, you want to make sure you are on good terms if you work together. Be respectful of the other person’s point of view and come up with a compromise that makes you both happy.
Pick your battles.
If you use every disagreement with someone as an excuse to fight, you will give yourself headaches and stress yourself. Ask yourself which battle is worth fighting or if this is something that you can let go of. If someone yells at you for being late, instead of causing a fight with that person excusing yourself of why you were late, just let it go and tell that person you will do better next time.
Be forgiving to others.
It can take a lot of energy to be angry at someone. If you refuse to remain in contact with them again, you will be wasting your life punishing them. Sometimes, it is best to agree to disagree. If the argument is going nowhere and you are still going back and forth with each other, just disengage and move on.
Located in downtown Midland, The Springboard Center’s mission is to offer programs and services to treat alcohol and drug addiction treatment using an evidence based curriculum, 12 step programs, diet, nutrition, exercise, emotional, mental and spiritual development for a long recovery. For more information, please call us at 432-620-0255 as we are open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
