10 Strategies for Resolving Conflict in Marriage

It should come as no surprise that two people living together, running a household, and possibly raising children are going to have some disagreements. Conflict is a normal part of every marriage. In order to create a happy and lasting marriage, you need to learn how to resolve conflict in a positive way. 

There are many causes of conflict in a marriage. Some common ones include natural differences between men and women, different opinions or styles for the best way to handle financial or parenting decisions, different expectations (especially where your sex life is concerned), irritability caused by tiredness or stress, misunderstandings, and even a lack of skill in resolving prior conflicts. As human beings, we tend to react to these types of situations with either fight (attacking and defensiveness), flight (removing yourself from the situation and not dealing with it), or just plain giving in to the other person in order to avoid the fight or flight. These ...