Instead, listen to your partner's words as helpful information and ideas. Keep your response non-emotional and view the exchange of information as intended to help, not to make someone feel bad. Sarcasm Sarcasm is especially damaging because it is often intended to hurt another person. If you find yourself thinking lots of negative thoughts about someone and imagine yourself saying these things, stop these thought patterns and replace them with more compassionate ideas. Passiveness Withdrawing from the disagreement does not resolve the situation.
Some people feel physically uncomfortable and tense with difficult conversations.
Instead of responding to the physical discomfort, try to focus on the issue at hand and the words being said. Let's agree to talk about it in an hour, after I've calmed down and had time to think. Two possible roads to resolution Consider each other's ideas and make a decision. This road involves negotiation and compromise. Although each person may give up something, the solution is agreeable to both.