On the journey of life, we often encounter difficult conversations that we'd rather avoid. These discussions may involve conflicts with loved ones, worries about how we might be perceived or make others feel, addressing personal shortcomings, and challenging societal norms.

While it may be tempting to shy away from these uncomfortable dialogues, doing so can be incredibly destructive to our personal growth and overall fulfillment. In the short term, avoiding hard conversations gives the impression of protecting yourself, but in the long run, you will sabotage yourself and your important relationships.

In this post, we will explore the importance of navigating hard conversations, and the benefits they bring, and present recent psychological research that supports these notions.

The Destructive Power of Avoidance

Avoiding difficult conversations may provide temporary relief or a sense of comfort, but the long-term consequences can be detrimental. Avoidance tends to perpetuate problems rather than resolve them. It encourages feelings of resentment, unease, frustration, impatience, and disdain, which can poison your relationships by changing how you view and communicate with the people closest to you.

By avoiding hard conversations, we deny ourselves the opportunity to grow, learn and forge deeper connections with others. Even worse, you may develop avoidance strategies, which are the opposite of coping strategies. Instead of dealing with difficult thoughts and communicating your feelings to preserve relationships, you will start to withdraw and emotionally exhaust yourself with the effort.

In his extensive work on the impacts of stress, Professor George Slavich asserts the important link between personal relationships and navigating difficult times. Slavich has observed that "in the absence of these close social bonds [...], the more macro stressors that we face can have a much greater toll than they otherwise would" (1). When things get tough, it's natural to want to shut down and push people away, but it will make the tough times even harder to get through.

When you attempt to put everything out of your mind and avoid dealing with things, they permeate, and then when it is impossible to keep ignoring them, they will develop into something much worse. The psychology of the ‘snowball effect' explains how something small can grow and grow until it becomes destructive, and this is exactly what happens with bottled-up emotions.

The 2023 State of Mental Health in America survey found that "21% of adults are experiencing at least one mental illness" and "over 12.1 million adults have reported serious thoughts of suicide." 

With so much at stake, it's more crucial than ever that you avoid bottling negative feelings up. Mental health has, unfortunately, been considered taboo for a long time, but times are changing.

More and more people are speaking up and seeking help, both from their friends and families and from trained professionals. You might not think that coaching or therapy is for you, but it is a great way to get things off your chest in a private, professional setting with no judgment. You'll learn new strategies for dealing with difficult emotions and be able to better communicate with your loved ones.

The path to personal growth and fulfillment is not without its barriers, but it is one worth taking. On your journey, you will encounter setbacks and challenges, but overcoming them will only make you stronger. Unresolved issues can fester, erode relationships, and hinder personal development, and the worst thing you can do is refuse to acknowledge them.

Psychological Research on Navigating Hard Conversations

Acknowledging these unresolved issues for yourself is the first step. The second step is to begin navigating hard conversations with the people in your life.

All types of relationships, including romantic, family, and friendship, can turn sour, and there are plenty of reasons for it. Some of the most common reasons include a breakdown of communication, the loss of trust, a change in priorities or personal situations, and the needs of either or both parties not being met.

Recent psychological research has shed light on the impact of engaging in difficult conversations and the benefits they offer.

Here are some key findings:

• 1. Enhanced Self-Awareness: Engaging in hard conversations requires introspection, self-reflection, and emotional intelligence. You need to come to terms with your own position and how you feel before you open up the discussion. Research suggests that individuals who actively participate in challenging dialogues tend to have higher levels of self-awareness. By facing uncomfortable truths about ourselves, we can identify areas for improvement and work towards personal growth.

• 2. Improved Relationships: Difficult conversations are an essential component of maintaining healthy relationships. A study published in the Journal of Social and Personal Relationships found that individuals who were willing to engage in tough conversations reported higher relationship satisfaction and deeper connections with their partners. Open and honest communication fosters trust, understanding, and empathy, leading to stronger bonds.

• 3. Increased Emotional Resilience: Confronting difficult conversations allows us to develop emotional resilience, the ability to bounce back from setbacks and face adversity head-on. Research shows that individuals who regularly engage in challenging conversations exhibit greater emotional resilience and adaptability. By navigating these conversations, we become better equipped to handle future conflicts and stressors.

• 4. Personal Growth and Fulfillment: Difficult conversations often serve as catalysts for personal growth and fulfillment. When we embrace discomfort and confront challenging topics, we expand our perspectives, challenge limiting beliefs and discover new insights. By actively seeking growth through difficult conversations, we unlock our true potential and lead more meaningful lives.

Maintaining Relationships Despite Conflicts

We're all constantly growing and changing as we move through life, but it is up to us to either fight through rough patches to preserve our relationships or give up. Having these discussions isn't easy because people may react angrily, become defensive, and then attempt to shut the conversation down. The key is to approach things neutrally and avoid any accusatory remarks.

You also need to determine what a healthy relationship looks like to you. This will help you when it comes to having those hard but necessary conversations because you'll want to prioritize your relationship and make it the best it can be. Some people "don't know all the positives that they truly deserve to have within a relationship", which can contribute to things turning toxic.

A good relationship is all about complete openness, effective communication, empathy, and respect, so try to harness these values when you need to navigate hard conversations. Remember, you have a relationship with this person for a reason: you care about them, they have added to your life, and you want to fight for things to improve rather than letting go.

The outcome of a hard conversation can often be predicted by how you approach it. If both parties are standoffish, curt, and refuse to take responsibility for any wrongdoings, the conversation will turn into an argument, and nothing will be resolved. If you want to maintain your relationship despite conflicts, you need to approach it with the intention of talking calmly and listening carefully.

Tips for Navigating Hard Conversations

Dr. Paul Marciano recommends cultivating a healthy mindset towards conflict before you begin a difficult conversation and reminding yourself that “this is not a confrontation. This is going to be a conversation- a potential opportunity to collaborate”. If you aren't on the same page about what you want to get out of this hard conversation, you aren't ready to have it.

Dr. Marie Land, a therapist whose areas of expertise include counseling relationship issues, recommends something very similar: "saying 'same team'", which is saying "even if I don't want this situation or disagreement, I still want us and this relationship". The point of having hard conversations is to resolve issues and save the relationship. If you fight against each other rather than the issue, it will dismantle your relationship from the inside out.

Below, you'll find some top tips for navigating hard conversations:

• Cultivate a mindset of curiosity and openness, approaching conversations with a willingness to learn and understand different viewpoints.
• Practice active listening and empathy, allowing the other person to express themselves fully.
• Choose an appropriate time and place for the conversation, ensuring privacy and minimizing distractions.
• Establish what you both want to get out of the conversation beforehand, making an effort to stay on the same page.
• Use "I" statements to express your feelings and perspectives, focusing on your own experiences rather than assigning blame.
• Be direct without having passionate outbursts, maintaining a calm tone that invites genuine discussion.
• Maintain respect and avoid personal attacks, keeping the conversation focused on the issue at hand.
• Look at things from both sides, trying to acknowledge and understand their perspective without taking it personally.
• Seek common ground and work towards finding mutually beneficial solutions.
• Be patient and compassionate with yourself and others throughout the process.
• Take a break if things become heated and resume the discussion at a later point when you've both got clear heads.

Transformation and Effective Communication

While hard conversations can be uncomfortable and challenging, they hold immense value in our personal growth and fulfillment. By actively engaging in these dialogues, we enhance self-awareness, improve relationships, cultivate emotional resilience, and unlock our true potential.

Rather than avoiding difficult conversations, let us embrace them as opportunities for growth, fostering deeper connections and leading more fulfilling lives. Transformation is a multi-step process and you need to be all in before you start seeing a difference.

Remember, the path to growth and fulfillment often lies on the other side of discomfort, and navigating hard conversations is an essential part of that journey.

READY TO TAKE THAT FIRST STEP TOWARD EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION?

Transforming your life is a marathon, not a sprint, so having somebody to coach you through every step can make all the difference to your progress. The Communication course, part of the Essential Skills Collection, seeks to do exactly that.

If you struggle to express yourself, fear conflict, hesitate to be honest, and recognize that this is destroying all your meaningful relationships then this is the course for you. It tackles the fundamentals of communication, examines barriers to effective communication, and promotes the cultivation of healthy, mutually beneficial relationships.

There are many reasons why you might struggle to communicate, from shyness to fear of conflict to a desire to people-please. My course puts you in complete control and encourages you to evaluate your own personal relationships and build up to having those much-needed difficult conversations.

If you can articulate your thoughts and advocate for yourself without erupting in anger or shying away from the harder stuff in relationships, you will be able to put what you learn into action and change your life for the better.

Your relationships are yours to fight for, but you can only do that if you can communicate effectively. It's never the wrong time to grow your mindset and change your life, so open the floodgates and let me guide you on a journey toward total transformation. Click to learn more →

xoxo, Megan & the team

Article Resources

• Communication Skills Transformation Course | Learn More
• Speaking of Psychology: How to keep stress from harming your health | Learn More
• The State of Mental Health in America 2023 | Adult Prevalence and Access to Care 
• What Does a Healthy Relationship Look Like? | Learn More  
• A Psychologist’s Secrets To Holding Tough Conversations | Learn More 
• This One Phrase Helps Turn A Fight Into A Problem To Solve | Learn More