Every once in a while a conflict arises with one of your friends. It is totally normal, and can be easily fixed with these simple conflict management tools! Whether it is just a little fight, or an issue that can result in life changing results, read these tips to better deal with your friends!
What do you do when you feel drained from putting in all the effort into your friendship? This is a common problem amongst friends, and can easily result in the dissolution of your friendship. The key here is communication. By expressing your feelings to your friend, he or she is put in the position of action. They will either realize their wrong doing and make an attempt to fix the problem, or they are not in fact a real friend. When approaching this situation, it is important to use the proper wording. Approach the conversation with, “I feel like” instead of “You are…” This will be better received; as opposed to your friend feeling attacked right off the bat.
What do you do when a friend stops talking to you? This is a tricky subject, because there are lots of variables. First of all, look to yourself for any changes or issues you may be causing. If you are the stressor on the relationship, you need to make appropriate changes before your friendship can be mended. This is very hard for most people. It is hard to hold yourself accountable for any wrong doings, but is essential for conflict resolution. If you have done absolutely nothing wrong, and you are sure of it, it is time to look to the other party. Again, by using the proper verbiage, approach the situation with caution. “I feel confused about our friendship, and why you have stopped talking to me,” is a good way to start the conversation.
What do you do when a friend starts going down the wrong path? Maybe they begin to have problems with drugs or alcohol. Maybe they are hanging out with the wrong crowd. It is your obligation as a real friend to step in and attempt to intervene. First call of action is to carefully approach the situation one on one. Sit your friend down and express your concerns about their recent behavior. If they understand your concern, and want to fix it, great! If they are in a state on denial, the problem just got more complicated. Give them an opportunity to realize their mistakes on their own once you have sat them down and expressed your concerns. If time goes by and they continue their bad behavior, further actions should be taken. Depending on the severity of the proposed problems, you can either hold a “friend intervention,” discuss the problem with a parent or teacher, or go the tough love route. Whichever you choose, choose carefully, because this is a sensitive situation.
In order to properly resolve whatever issues you are having with your friends, you must learn from each and every experience. Learn how you would like to be approached with friendship problems, and use that to tackle future friend conflicts.
