We all have differences of opinion, but does that mean that we have to spend every moment of our day involved in arguments while trying to prove our point or dealing with the fallout after an argument? Is it possible for two people to agree to disagree on some things?
The best way to deal with a difference of opinion with your partner is to calm down, listen and try to see things from their point of view. Sometimes you can defuse a situation by being the better person and loving your partner regardless, rather than by always being right.
Whether you are involved in a long-term relationship, a brand-new relationship, or have a close relationship with a group of friends, people are involved! Can we respect each other’s opinions, and do we understand that each of us has a right to express our own opinions, or do we try and force our own views on everyone else? So how do we deal with our differences in relationships?
How Do You Resolve Opinion Differences?
Trying to live with someone who has differing opinions to you can be difficult, but there are ways that you can live a peaceful life without constantly arguing with the people in your life. All it takes is understanding and allowing both parties to air their views in a safe space without conflict.
Peace may not be achieved all the time, but having one or two differences of opinion now and then is easier to manage than full-out war all of the time! Emotions govern opinions, so if you make a decision when you are emotional, it could open the door to many more arguments and an unhappy life.
The best way to resolve differences of opinion is to agree to disagree. While this is easier said than done, but the point is, if you want the other person to be involved in your life, you will both have to agree on certain matters, even if you have differing opinions on the topic.
Try these ideas for resolving differences of opinion arguments:
1. Understand That Conflict Is A Part Of Any Relationship
You may have a difference of opinion of many things, even something small. What is essential is not what the differences are but how you manage the differences both as a couple and as individuals. Try working together to create a solution that will favor both parties without forming separate camps.
2. Manage Your Expectations In The Relationship
Conflict and criticism can diminish our feelings of being admired, valued, and loved. If your expectations are not being met, the relationship can suffer. If you do have to criticize, try putting any negative comments between two positive ones.
3. Criticize The Behavior Not The Person
When you are upset, rather criticize a specific behavior or situation that the other person displays without directly attacking the person’s personality. Complaints about character are unproductive as the other person will automatically defend himself. It’s important to discuss the issue at hand without attacking the other person and their beliefs.
Can A Relationship Survive Different Values?
Every relationship is different, but specific values should be important to the relationship. Shared values are the foundations of any relationship. Couples should share similar core values for their relationship to grow and thrive; otherwise, they will live in constant resentment and disappointment and be miserable instead of enjoying a happy, healthy relationship with their partner.
What you need to remember is, values are very different from interests. You can have other interests than your partner and still have a healthy relationship as long as you share core values.
Which core values should you share with your partner to enjoy a solid, healthy relationship?
1.Commitment To Each Other
Knowing that your partner has the same goals and core values as you make for a happier and easier relationship. Being in a committed relationship with your partner means keeping a promise or a vow made to them, even when times are tough. To be committed to another person means that you cannot back out either emotionally or physically.
Agreeing on core values will keep your relationship stable and allow you freedom as long as there are boundaries in place.
2. Trust Always
You should always be able to trust your partner completely, no matter what. Your partner should have the same values or “rules” as you do. Set clear rules on what is and what is not acceptable behavior with members of the opposite sex and stick to these rules. Never give your partner any reason or excuse to doubt you or your relationship.
3. Lifestyle Choices
Agreeing on where to live, how you spend your weekends, and where to vacation will grow your relationship. Deciding to include your partner in all lifestyle choices, whether large or small, will keep your relationship heading in the right direction. Making any decision without your partner, which impacts their lifestyle, is not healthy.
4. Your Future Plans
Deciding on how many children to have, if any, and how to raise them is often a point of conflict in any relationship. By determining your own core values, you should be able to deal with any problems that happen along the way when children arrive.
As parents, you should always be on the same page and never allow a decision to be made that does not agree with your already decided on core family values. Extended family can disagree with your decisions, but as long as you and your partner agree, stick to your guns!
How you deal with faith issues should be included in your long-term goals. Deciding on how to raise your children according to your faith should be a non-negotiable shared core value, determined before starting a family.
5. How You Deal With Conflict
The best way to deal with any conflict is through communication. Agreeing on how to handle conflict is something that you should discuss early in your relationship to avoid hurt later. Disagreements and quarrels will happen, but if you have a well-laid plan on resolving the conflict as one of your core values, you can follow the rules you have already set in place to resolve the dispute.
What To Do When You Disagree With Your Partner?
We will all disagree with our partner eventually, no matter how well we get on with each other. How you resolve the difference of opinion is what matters. Do we allow the differences to escalate into a full-blown war, or can we resolve our differences of opinion amicably and sometimes agree to disagree?
There are ways to resolve your small arguments before they escalate. Better still, agree on rules to implement and call time out before things escalate. Try these:
- Stop and listen. Before you see red, stop, calm down and listen. Are you being unreasonable? Strangely, having an agreed-upon safe word, or safe phrase, really does help to stop an argument before it begins.
- See things from their point of view. Do they perhaps have a different viewpoint to you that makes sense?
- Look for common ground. Are the things that you can agree on quickly to calm things down?
- Is your opinion the only one that counts? If you do stop and think about the issue, are they perhaps incorrect, or is there a different way other than yours? Is it more important for you to win an argument because you can, or are you prepared to listen to the point of view which is different from yours?
Conclusion
Being human, we will always disagree with someone. Most of the time, the person that we disagree with the most is our partner. We can live a happy life by choosing to resolve our differences amicably or by setting boundaries in our relationship.
To have a happy life, we need to resolve our differences quickly without causing rifts in our relationships. Communication and respect allow us to face our disagreements with our partners head-on without leaving room for unresolved issues and hurt feelings.
Compromise does not mean that we are allowing our partner to always win. Instead, choose to live a good life without sticking to your guns in every situation. Setting values and establishing boundaries and shared values will allow you to enjoy your life with your partner.
