Article: If you've got heated feelings left over from a disagreement with your friend, wait until you're calmer before you extend an olive branch. Your words won't feel genuine unless you really are sincere about wanting to patch things up. Your friend might also benefit from some time to cool down, but don't wait for her to reach out to you. If you're prepared to let bygones be bygones, give her a call. Take the time to consider your friend's perspective and why she might be hurt. Thinking about the reasons she might be angry or hurt will help you have a more open conversation. If you've considered the disagreement from your friend's perspective, your own actions might seem different than they did at the time. You might realize that you acted in a way that was unnecessarily hurtful or dismissive. Even if your friend also behaved badly, this shouldn't keep you from taking a careful look at your own part in the disagreement. No matter what she did, you're still responsible for your own words and actions. Think ahead of time what you plan to apologize for, being as specific as you can. When you have a talk with your friend, you'll want her to know that you're prepared to completely let go of the negative feelings that came up during the disagreement. Disagreements are natural among friends, but they don't have to mean the end of the friendship. Be prepared to say everything you need to say, but keep it in a polite, friendly tone. Allow your friend to say whatever she needs to say. Listen carefully to what she says, and don't interrupt her while she's talking. Thank your friend for taking the time to talk to you even if it doesn't go the way you'd have preferred. Regardless of how your friend responds to your overtures, it's best if you can try to completely forgive your friend for any hurts you still may feel. Reliving the disagreement, reminding yourself how right you were (and how wrong she was) won't help either of you. Know that sometimes a friendship can tolerate the disagreement, and sometimes it can't. Keep an open mind as you work to repair the friendship, and hopefully your friend will come around in time. If your friend's behavior is consistently unpredictable, erratic or volatile, you might not be able to repair the friendship. Instead, focus on finding solutions for your disagreement. Political views are deeply personal to people, and you won't be able to find a solution by trying to force agreement. Instead, try reminding each other of what you value in your friendship. If your disagreement was about different political viewpoints, one way of resolving the differences is to focus on what you have in common. At the same time, don't feel like you have to back away from your own political views. Be open and honest about your views without feeling pressured to relive the disagreement with your friend. Sometimes a friendship may need a break. During political campaigns, or when feelings are running high surrounding particular political issues, you may not be able to repair a broken friendship. Realize that you and your friend may make up your differences in the future, and stay open to reconciliation if possible. Don't do or say anything to remove the possibility of eventual repair. Agreeing to go your separate ways for now doesn't have to be a permanent break. Don't beat yourself up for having had this disagreement.
What is a summary of what this article is about?
Allow some time to cool down. Consider whether you need to apologize. Don't hold onto resentments. Forgive your friend. Don't focus on what caused the fight. Take a break.