Conflict is natural and, when navigated healthily, can help you understand others and open your mind to new ideas. When you avoid conflict, problems can grow within a relationship. Facing your differences head-on can help resolve issues quickly and allow relationships to flourish.

Here are a few tips for handling conflict.

• Address the concern early and privately. Conflict often forms from a misunderstanding. Before jumping to conclusions, give the other person the benefit of the doubt and ask them to explain their thought process. Then, be open to their ideas. You may still disagree, but once you understand the other person’s perspective, you can work together to find a solution.

• Focus on the outcome. It is easy to get caught up in emotions when tensions are high. It’s important to remember the objective of your discussion–whatever that may be. Adopt the mindset that it doesn’t matter who is “right” or “wrong” as long as the outcome meets everyone’s needs.

• Respond constructively. Thinking through responses during a disagreement before speaking to them can help you stay calm during conflict. Ask yourself, “Would this feedback help the other person understand my point of view better?” or, “Does my feedback truly present a flaw in the other person’s argument, or am I just looking for a reason to shut their idea down?”

• Learn to compromise. When you understand neither party will walk away completely satisfied, it’s vital to find out where you may meet in the middle. For example, you want to spend your annual bonus check to go shopping, but your spouse would rather put it towards paying off the mortgage. A good compromise would be to split the money and put some towards both. Recognize that in this situation, compromise does not mean it must be split 50/50. If both parties agree on the split, even if it is 10/90, that’s a successful resolution.

• Practice forgiveness. Arguments and disagreements can invoke harsh words and hurtful tones. Remember to ask for forgiveness, preferably in the moment, if you say something you don’t mean or the other person may interpret as hurtful. Forgiving others when they apologize provides an opportunity for further discussion and a stronger relationship.