A lot of the time, people tell me they avoid conflict because they don’t want to create tension, hurt someone’s feelings, or deal with the stress of it. And while that makes total sense, the problem is—conflict doesn’t just disappear because we ignore it. It lingers, festers, and eventually, it erupts.

We know avoiding conflict isn’t the answer. But how do you actually get yourself to lean into difficult conversations instead of running the other way? 

Here’s how to push past the discomfort and step into the conversation with more confidence.