Use Mindfulness to Handle Interpersonal Conflict

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two women on couch talking

pexels-wallace-chuck-3787027.jpgSasha met Nicole and Esha during their freshman year, quickly becoming close friends over dorm food and late-night study sessions. The next year, the three decided they would rent an apartment together. Things were going pretty well up until midterms week when dirty dishes started to pile up in the sink. Sasha began to feel annoyed at her roommates. She enjoyed cooking meals for herself, but the rising pile of dishes in the sink along with the dwindling amount of clean silverware made it difficult for her. One morning, she came downstairs after pulling an all-nighter to prepare a bowl of cereal and realized that they had no clean spoons. Frustrated and exhausted, she returned to her room without breakfast, slamming her door and startling her roommates.

Conflict occurs when you and someone else have differing values, beliefs, or opinions about a situation. Despite the uncomfortable feelings it can evoke, conflict is a normal part of the human social experience. Just think about how differently each person sees the world. Living among other people will inevitably lead to some friction. It’s important to address conflict to prevent it from growing into a deeper issue as unresolved conflict can show up in other ways, affecting the quality of your connection. Conflict is not always negative—in fact, it can be extremely beneficial for relationships to encounter conflict and work through to a resolution.