5 Ways to Deal With Relationship Conflict!

Intimate relationships bring out intense emotions and feelings in people. It is important to remember that your partner has opinions and feelings which can often be different from your own. This can make it difficult to always be in sync and may sometimes lead to fights. Often, we try to avoid fighting either by simply pretending to agree or by being aggressively stubborn that the other person agrees out of fear. That is why it is important to be able to fight productively and in such a way that a consensus is reached.

Here are a few ways you can resolve conflict:

1. Remember that the other person also cares about you

No matter how upset you are with your partner it is important to remember that you both care about each other. If you didn’t you wouldn’t be trying to find a resolution.

2. Don’t speak in generalities

When trying to resolve a conflict it is important to point the specific of what is bothering you rather than talking in general. If you talk about an isolated incident, it is easier to understand.

3. Don’t be afraid to admit you are wrong

People rarely get upset for no reason. Even though you may not think you did something wrong, your partner may. Keep an open mind when listening to them and don’t be afraid to admit you were wrong. Most importantly, know that it is okay for your partner and you to have differing opinions and perspectives about issues.

4. Convey active listening

Repeat to your partner what you think you’ve heard them say and ask clarifying questions. This is important when you think your partner is being irrational. You don’t necessarily have to agree with their point of view to take their feelings seriously. People assume they know what the other person has said. But this often leads to misunderstandings.

5. Have patience

Trying to solve a long-standing issue in a relationship takes time. We have all have problems that we carry with us at all times. Conflicts will lessen in intensity over time. It is important to be patient and resolve conflicts with a rational mind frame.