Avoiding conflict can be a pathway

Carolyn Hax writes about conflict with certainty that I appreciate and that is hard for any of us to achieve in our real lives. I especially value this when she advises people to avoid a conflict situation, as she wisely does in this article. Especially in the US, I find that avoidance gets a bad rap. In conflict coaching sessions, people will drop their voice and, in a confessional tone, say, “I know I avoid conflict.” Overuse of any strategy creates a weakness. Avoiding conflict can be a strategic choice about timing or a safe pathway out of abuse.