7 Sins of Conflict

1. The Filibuster – This is where you continue to talk even though you know the conversation is going nowhere.
2. Blame Game – The process of lobbing accusation back and forth until someone gives up.  Hint: Neither person actually wins.
3. Stonewalling – With practice, you may gain the ability to go somewhere else in your mind while another person is speaking to you.  It’s a great skill if you want to avoid human relationships.
4. Collapsing – “Sorry.  It was all my fault.”  You may be able to avoid conflict in the short-term but, you will not be able to avoid the resentment and self-loathing that comes with this tactic.
5. Inflating – The ego is a durable shield that prevents others from getting to you.  The problem is that no conflict will ever be fully resolved if you don’t “right size” yourself through humility.
6. Temper Tantrum – Aggression isn’t anger.  Aggression is the inability to be with your anger in a conscious way.  Throwing your emotions all over the place may do more harm than you think.
7. People Pleasing – Just put a smile on your face, sacrifice what you want, and pretend everything is fine.  That is what you’re supposed to do, right?  Avoidance of conflict can fester and create deep patterns of unhealthy behavior and codependency.