7 Effective Tips on How to Avoid Conflicts
Nowadays it is necessary to be reasonable and flexible enough to avoid conflicts as much as possible and live in peace with others. As Dorothy Thompson once said, “Peace is not the absence of conflict but the presence of creative alternatives for responding to conflict – alternatives to passive or aggressive responses, alternatives to violence.” Arguing can either break your relationship or help you get to know your partner better. The best way to avoid conflict is to expect and embrace it. You should be aware of all possible risks, because conflict is a source of stress that can be harmful to your health. However, if you have done all your best to avoid conflict and you are still arguing, then read on to find out a few effective tips on how to avoid conflicts.
1 Don’t get in the epicenter of the conflict
Sometimes people can get in the epicenter of conflicts and disputes because they want to help. Frankly speaking, it is very risky, because it can get you in the middle of other people’s problems and make you the main figure of the conflict. Let other people sort out their relationships without your presence. You should focus on your own life issues and try to find ways to solve them in a short period of time.
2 Be kind
When someone pushes you to the limit, try to put on a happy face and act kindly towards this person, instead of getting into a fight. Life is full of conflicts and disagreements, that’ why you should find more conservative ways of dealing with them. For example, kindness can alleviate the conflict. Kindness is a defense mechanism against negative feelings about the conflict. Furthermore, people around you will appreciate your conflict resolution skills.
3 Try to be a peacekeeper
Those people who like peace try not to jump into conflicts. If you have peace and love in your heart you are almost invincible. Peacekeepers tend to cooperate with people without bad emotions which usually lead to disputes and even conflicts. “The greatest victory is the battle not fought.” This saying is the life motto of a natural born peacekeeper. Don’t worry if you are not a natural born peacekeeper, you can gain this skill during life.
4 The habit of mediator
If someone has a conflict, you shouldn’t interfere in this process in no circumstances. Weak people usually try to engage others to find help and support in their actions. You’d better rid yourself of the habit to be a mediator between the participants of the conflict, if you don’t want to deal with stress regularly. Try to be a third part in other people’s conflicts.
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5 Walk off
When the conflict is gathering pace and you can’t manage to keep yourself, you should choose to handle the situation in another way. By all means, try to keep yourself away from stress. It is helpful to put some distance between yourself and the rival and get away from the situation for a while. If possible, you should leave this conflict in the past or choose to revisit it later. Do your best to cool off and leave all disagreements in the past. Such approach will give you a chance to defuse the problem.
6 Get rid of negativity and drama
Avoid negative people and drama because they are the greatest destroyers of self-confidence and self-esteem. Moreover, they can affect you physical and mental well-being. Negative people need drama like oxygen and if you cut drama out of your life, you will take their breath away. Don’t allow these people to trap you in with their negative and useless thoughts.
7 Avoid provokers
One of the most effective ways to prevent conflict is to avoid trigger people. Trigger people are those who do all possible things to engage the others in conflict. Very often this kind of attitude in life leads to confrontation, punishment and arguments. When you deal with a trigger person, you should always try to delay your reaction when being provoked. It will help you consider the situation and its results. Make a conscious effort to delay your reaction with the help of your will power and in the intervening time, choose the best possible way to respond.
Conflict can be distressing and harmful to your health. I hope these tips on how to avoid conflict and drama will help you stay positive and enjoy your life. What do you usually do to avoid conflict?