6 Simple Ways To Deal With Conflict

Conflict is never a fun thing, but unfortunately, it is a part of life. We are constantly going to find ourselves facing scenarios of conflict; it's unavoidable. At this point in our lives, we've realized that as much as we would like to ignore our problems in the hopes that they'll just go away, it's not going to work. 

We have to deal with issues head on if we ever want them to disappear, acting like they don't exist is not going to solve anything. This may be something we hate, but there are a ton of ways to make dealing with it a little easier: 

1. Acknowledge It

First off, you have to begin by actually acknowledging that there is a problem present in your life. Being passive aggressive is a thing of the past and has a 0% chance of helping you deal with or move on from an issue. You have to face this head on and the first step is to let yourself be aware that there is a deeper issue going on.

Like I said earlier, we both know that ignoring problems doesn't fix anything, it will only allow the feelings of anger and frustration fester. The sooner you understand the situation, the sooner you can work on handling it.

2. PinPoint The Problem

 Once you've determined and recognized there is an issue that needs fixing, you need to dig a bit deeper and figure out what the exact issue is. Why are you upset, frustrated, or confused? What was the initial cause of the problem and how is it affecting you? Let yourself be honest and open with these questions because it will allow you to directly pinpoint where things got off track, which will help you work it out in the long run.

3. Mentally Process It

Now that you've both recognized and determined the root of the issue, you need to let yourself feel the emotions behind the conflict. Whenever you're feeling a certain way, it's best to just let yourself feel it all and not suppress anything. Don't quit your emotions down or bottle them up; let them out so that you can move on from them. If you feel angry, sad, jealous etc. let yourself feel all of those things. 

This will help you become much more clear headed and allow you to approach the situation from a more logical standpoint after. 

4. Plan How To Deal With It

Now that you're feeling a little bit more rational you can move forward with a way to deal with the situation. Think about how you would like someone to approach you with a problem and go from there. Maybe you want to discuss the issue in person over coffee or lunch. or perhaps you prefer to do this over the phone. Everyone is different but it always helps to have some kind of organized plan on how you want to handle the issue.

You can try writing down what you want to say when you meet in person, or you can take the approach of writing them a well thought out letter. It will depend on how you like to solve issues but those ideas may help!

5. Confront It

This is usually the hardest part for myself because directly addressing someone about their behavior or a problem is just very uncomfortable. You never want to be in the position but at the same time you have to be if you want to move on and work out the problems. 

It's best to just handle this like ripping off a band-aid; just get it over with. The sooner you address them and sort through the problems, the sooner the hard part is over and you can move on. 

6. Put It To Bed

Once you have resolved the problem, make sure you truly have gotten everything you needed off your chest. There's nothing worse than leaving these situations feeling like you still have left many things unsaid. Say what you mean, feel and want so that the other person or people are completely in the loop.

You want to move on from this, but the only way to do so is to have that completely honest conversation. Once you conclude that, you should walk away feeling relieved. Now that you have hashed things out, put it to bed. Don't ruminate about it, and let the past be in the past.