Dealing with conflict in the Relationship

Conflict is a normal thing in any relationship. There is going to come a time in your relationship where you are going to disagree with your spouse or parent. Communication skills are the one thing that separates strong relationships from the more difficult or failing ones. So it is important that couples find a way to develop the communication skills that will help resolve conflict in the relationship before it gets out of hand.

Simple communication skills that can help resolve conflict in the relationship:


Avoid the conversation from turning into an argument
The best way to accomplish this first task is to remember that you need to be humble about the situation. You do not need to say that you are wrong, but agree to sit down with your spouse/partner and discuss the issue in a calm and productive manner. Let your partner know that you want to work with them and not against them to come to a resolution.

In the event that the conversation has already evolved into an argument:

Step back from the situation and take a time out
Someone needs to stop the argument and the best way is to stop engaging your spouse/partner. Let your significant other know that you do not want to further the argument and that you are willing to talk about it in a calm manner when they are ready to sit down with you. But for the time being, you need to take a 5 minute timeout.

Come together to discuss the issue you both have
Sit down with your spouse/partner at the dining room table and discuss the issue with them in a calm manner. The dining room table is a good neutral location to meet with your partner, but you could even take it out to an outside location like a restaurant.

Listen to what your significant other has to say
Listening to your spouse/partner will show that you are willing to work with them to come to a resolution. And in turn they are going to be more open to your concerns and ideas about the issue.

So in closing, resolving conflict in a relationship can be tough if you do not know what you are doing in the first place. Take the time to work with your spouse/partner to develop the skills that will help insure your relationship stays strong and can last to the end of time.