With Christmas just behind us and the New Year ahead, for some of us this is a time of stress and conflict. We can’t talk about the holidays and family dynamics without addressing conflict and how to navigate through it.
Let me first say…. CONFLICT IS NOT BAD. And it’s inevitable. It’s not a matter of “if” you will encounter conflict, but “when.” It would be wise to have some conflict resolution “tools” so when conflict rears its head we are prepared to walk through it in a healthy way.
There are normally two types of people:
1. People that embrace difficulties, navigate through conflict and come out on the other end stronger and relationally deeper than before.
2. People who avoid tough conversations, remain relationally comfortable (and relatively shallow) and see conflict as a bad thing.
Which type are you?
When we learn how to navigate conflict in a healthy way it will deepen our relational connection to others and built on trust and transparency. When we don’t navigate conflict in a healthy way it will cause discord, create division and plant seeds of bitterness and unforgiveness.
In my opinion, everyone needs to learn some basic conflict resolution skills so that we don’t leave a wake of devastation, hurt and fallout in our lives.
The next couple of weeks we will talk about healthy conflict resolution skills.
