Lately, you may have noticed that conversations about politics, religious fervor, and aggravating daily
media topics are converting into larger conflicts. In the news, you can see there are protesters everywhere, protesting, well, pretty much everything.
Large or small, at home or at work or even in your car, disagreements can be normalized if you handle them calmly and appropriately as they happen. Or sometimes with conflicts, your best strategy may be learning how to
let them go completely if you can.
Unfortunately, if you don’t handle or avoid conflicts consciously, they can take terrible tolls on your relationships. Here is how to be more aware of your emotions and understand how to control and even avoid life conflicts when a mild-to-moderate disagreement arises.
Sidestep Conflict First If You Can
1. Listen silently for a few moments
Don’t try to convince the other person that your point of view is better; try to understand their point of view as well. If your conflict is at home, never go to bed angry. Instead of winning being the main goal of any conflict, try bouncing ideas off of one another. This way, you both gain knowledge, information, and respect. Being able to alleviate stress by acknowledging it before an explosion ever occurs, is crucial for brain health.
2. Offer calm, dispassionate comment
Try keeping your cool, and notice if your comments or responses are coming from an emotional place instead of a logical, practical point of view. Then change the conversation. Offer a friend or relative sage thoughtful advice. Instead of saying something like, “That is the dumbest thing you’ve ever said,” change your conversation to omit the emotional charge. Instead, try saying something like, “This probably isn’t your best idea,” or “If you do this, then there may unfortunate consequences.”
3. Recover from the stress of daily conflict
Limit yourself to how often you listen to politics and more distressing news. If you can, also avoid the more toxic relationships in your life. Get massages, try talk therapy, discuss uncomfortable situations with friends who really understand your needs. When you listen to any type of negative noise for too long, though, it ramps up the amygdala area in your brain. The
amygdala is the structure that processes fear (and fear conditioning), anger, and even fury.
4. Find Balance in some way, every day
Try deep breathing exercises like meditation, stretching, praying, and daily stress-relieving workouts to ease your mind and relax your body. Anytime you can take a few breaths and take yourself out of conflict mode, you’ll enjoy healthier relationships and huge benefits for your brain, emotions, and your body. No one wants to be in conflict all the time.
At the Amen Clinics, we can help you and your loved ones overcome the stigma and suffering associated with ADD/ADHD, anxiety, depression, brain injury, weight loss, addictions, memory issues, brain fog, and other emotional and cognitive issues. If you are ready to regain control over your life or help a loved one do the same, contact Amen Clinics today by calling 888-288-9834 or
scheduling a visit online.
