How Can I Avoid Heated Arguments? Want greater connection? Read on to learn how to express feelings without resorting to defensiveness.
Q: How can I avoid heated arguments? When a couple has a disagreement and there is a lot of emotion involved, how can they express feelings without resorting to the need of defending their position?
A: Great question. If we don’t get this question answered, we repeat the same arguments and habits and get caught in a loop. Abe Lincoln was known for writing letters … sometimes very scathing letters, and then revisiting his words before he sent them to make sure it was really what he wanted to say.
When our adrenal glands kick in, we are in fight or flight mode and often times that doesn’t make for the most logical conversations. It helps to table topics that get tense, and revisit them at a later time when our emotions aren’t heightened. When it is a good time to talk, ask for forgiveness. Say, “I’m sorry I upset you. I’m sorry we couldn’t talk about that. I had a tough day and I ended up turning that negativity on you and I apologize for that.” Or whatever needs to be said. Then you can state what you meant to say, without all the emotion involved.
When you are not in an emotional state, those are the best times to set the ground rules. We need to create an environment where everybody knows what the rules are and the plan. Then you can ask this question regarding the previous (heated) conversation or argument:
“What could we have done differently that may have produced a better outcome?”
Also take time to dig deeper and reflect together. Ask, “What is the underlying trigger?”
[bctt tweet=”There is a trigger that caused heightened emotions toward your spouse, take time to discover it.” username=”marriedwpurpose”] What it that you felt misunderstood? That you had a bad day? Something from the past? Take that time to seek to understand one another.
In Review
So, back to the original question and a quick review of today’s blog on how to … How can I Avoid Heated Arguments
- When the conversation is turned into a heightened emotional state. Recognize that it won’t be very productive moving forward and table it.
- Once you find an opportune time to revisit it logically, apologize and take time to explain what you really meant to communicate.
- Ask “What could we have done differently that may have produced a better outcome?”
- Dig deeper and reflect together. Ask, “What is the underlying trigger?”
https://marriedforapurpose.com/q-a-how-do-we-express-how-we-feel-in-heated-arguments/
