Conflict Resolution Quotes

“The man who refuses to judge, who neither agrees nor disagrees, who declares that there are no absolutes and believes that he escapes responsibility, is the man responsible for all the blood that is now spilled in the world. Reality is an absolute, existence is an absolute, a speck of dust is an absolute and so is a human life. Whether you live or die is an absolute. Whether you have a piece of bread or not, is an absolute. Whether you eat your bread or see it vanish into a looter's stomach, is an absolute.

There are two sides to every issue: one side is right and the other is wrong, but the middle is always evil. The man who is wrong still retains some respect for truth, if only by accepting the responsibility of choice. But the man in the middle is the knave who blanks out the truth in order to pretend that no choice or values exist, who is willing to sit out the course of any battle, willing to cash in on the blood of the innocent or to crawl on his belly to the guilty, who dispenses justice by condemning both the robber and the robbed to jail, who solves conflicts by ordering the thinker and the fool to meet each other halfway. In any compromise between food and poison, it is only death that can win. In any compromise between good and evil, it is only evil that can profit. In that transfusion of blood which drains the good to feed the evil, the compromise is the transmitting rubber tube.”
― Ayn Rand, Atlas Shrugged

“The Anatomy of Conflict:

If there is no communication then there is no respect. If there is no respect then there is no caring. If there is no caring then there is no understanding. If there is no understanding then there is no compassion. If there is no compassion then there is no empathy. If there is no empathy then there is no forgiveness. If there is no forgiveness then there is no kindness. If there is no kindness then there is no honesty. If there is no honesty then there is no love. If there is no love then God doesn't reside there. If God doesn't reside there then there is no peace. If there is no peace then there is no happiness. If there is no happiness ----then there IS CONFLICT BECAUSE THERE IS NO COMMUNICATION!”
― Shannon L. Alder

“Quote words that affirm
all men and women are your
brothers and sisters.”
― Author-Poet Aberjhani, The River of Winged Dreams

“We don't get harmony when everybody sings the same note. Only notes that are different can harmonize. The same is true with people.”
― Steve Goodier

“This world’s anguish is no different
from the love we insist on holding back.”
― Aberjhani, Elemental: The Power of Illuminated Love

“Bravery is the choice to show up and listen to another person, be it a loved one or perceived foe, even when it is uncomfortable, painful, or the last thing you want to do.”
― Alaric Hutchinson

“Sometimes, God doesn’t send you into a battle to win it; he sends you to end it.”
― Shannon L. Alder

“Conflict can and should be handled constructively; when it is, relationships benefit. Conflict avoidance is *not* the hallmark of a good relationship. On the contrary, it is a symptom of serious problems and of poor communication.”
― Harriet B. Braiker, Who's Pulling Your Strings? How to Break the Cycle of Manipulation and Regain Control of Your Life

“That’s what peace is, right? Postponing the conflict until the thing you were fighting over doesn’t matter.”
― James S.A. Corey, Drive

“You cannot fix a problem in the world unless you've already resolved the underlying conflict within yourself.”
― Oscar Auliq-Ice

“It is very important to understand why those annoying people annoy you and then figure out where that fits into your world.”
― Oscar Auliq-Ice

“When we aren't curious in conversations we judge, tell, blame and even shame, often without even knowing it, which leads to conflict."
-The Power Of Curiosity: How To Have Real Conversations That Create Collaboration, Innovation and Understanding”
― Kirsten Siggins, The Power of Curiosity: How to Have Real Conversations That Create Collaboration, Innovation and Understanding

“See the system. When you find yourself stuck in an oversimplified polarized conflict, a useful first step is to try to become more aware of the system as a whole: to provide more context to your understanding of the terrain in which the stakeholders are embedded, whether they are disputants, mediators, negotiators, lawyers, or other third parties. This can help you to see the forest and the trees; it is a critical step toward regaining some sense of accuracy, agency, possibility, and control in the situation.”
― Peter T. Coleman, The Five Percent: Finding Solutions to Seemingly Impossible Conflicts

“Conflict and resolution are two sides of the same coin.”
― Haresh Sippy

“Unlike tires, life has no spare.”
― Martin Uzochukwu Ugwu

“I will gather up a lifetime of things unsaid, write them down, and then offer them all to be lit up for security and burned. All at once.
And then I can watch the whole thing turn to ash. The whole damn thing.
Light the match, and watch it burn.
What a loaded bonfire that would be though, if this gets burned when I finish filling up the whole book.
What a cleansing experience that will be!
If flames could speak, what a story they would tell.
They say that the original bonfires were the burning up of bones. Bad bones. Bad people. Enemies. Turning bones to ash. And it was the burning up of curses and all things bad as well. God knows we have had and still have enemies, and even curses. Real ones.”
― Suzanne Valtsioti, Mallias The Greek Gangster the story of a card cheat

“Be mindful of the language you use with others. A good way to start is to speak in 'I' statements, which define your own experience, and not 'you' statements, which are a judgement on the other person”
― Philippa Perry, The Book You Want Everyone You Love* To Read *

“My anger drained away. He was not my adversary. His road would be hard enough without the hurt we might do each other.”
― Madeline Miller, Circe

“When we resist the urge to respond impulsively, and plant ourselves in our center as opposed to grasping at straws outside ourselves, we tap into a wellspring of inner fortitude.

Such mindful silence allows us to detach from the heat of the moment and respond with clarity rather than reactivity. Choosing silence more and more, we lose less and less energy to ‘dumb shit,’ as I like to say, while intelligently reclaiming our power faster and faster.”
― Sol Luckman, Get Out of Here Alive: Inner Alchemy & Immortality

“When tensions rise, turn to affection, play, or shared snacks.”
― Ken Breniman, A three body solution: A Daringly Subversive & Juicy Tale of Love, Evolution, & Humanity's Last Hope

“Fighting isn’t always the right answer. That was the lesson of the rabbit. I find that you can deflect a lot of ill will and anger with a bit of good humor. It’s called ‘taking the high road.’ We'll fight when it matters - when it actually means something.”
― Daniel Thorman, The Zodiac Quest: A LitRPG Adventure

“A wise response is measured, calm, and thoughtful, it turns challenges into opportunities and diffuses conflict with grace.”
― Ayoub Imilouane, Tales of Habib the Hoaxter: Sometimes Hoaxed, Always Good for a Laugh

“When every part of you feels heard and given its due, the inner ‘gods’ are more likely to work together rather than sabotage one another.”
― Kevin L. Michel, The Council of Gods

“Reason tells us that we should always be able to work things out with words. But the absurdly profound truth is that in many crucial moments of conflict, when sanity and safety hang in the balance, choosing not to engage verbally can be by far the most powerful form of speech.”
― Sol Luckman, Get Out of Here Alive: Inner Alchemy & Immortality

“We can simply—as a matter of principle and power preservation—refuse to participate in unproductive arguments or engage in conversations that diminish our sense of self-worth.

Grasp that silence in this context isn’t about passive aggression or suppressing our voice; it’s about recognizing when our energy is better spent elsewhere … or not spent at all.”
― Sol Luckman, Get Out of Here Alive: Inner Alchemy & Immortality

“In its purest form, silence isn’t empty space, a void to avoid. Rather, it’s a canvas pregnant with possibilities upon which we can paint our intentions and dreams.

Think of silence as a statement of self-respect, a declaration of our boundaries, and a powerful tool for navigating the complexities of human interaction.”
― Sol Luckman, Get Out of Here Alive: Inner Alchemy & Immortality

“Conflicts are, of course, an inevitable part of life. When dissension arises and testosterone runs high, our instinctual response is to defend our point of view by proving the other party wrong. But as with fighting back unnecessarily, this stubborn approach rarely leads to resolution and often fans the flames of conflict.”
― Sol Luckman, Get Out of Here Alive: Inner Alchemy & Immortality

“Nonreaction isn’t about ignoring the problem or suppressing your emotions, but about choosing a more skillful and, dare I say, more eloquent response.

It’s about recognizing that your silence can be more disarming than any logical (or illogical) argument.”
― Sol Luckman, Get Out of Here Alive: Inner Alchemy & Immortality

“In the context of conflict resolution, wu wei encourages us to approach disagreements with a sense of controlled (but not controlling) detachment. Instead of imposing our will or trying to micromanage the outcome, we learn to flow with the present moment and allow the situation to resolve itself naturally.

This doesn’t mean being passive or indifferent. The practice of wu wei … is about finding a delicate balance between action and inaction. We speak our truth when necessary, but we also recognize when silence is the more prudent and persuasive course of action.”
― Sol Luckman, Get Out of Here Alive: Inner Alchemy & Immortality

“By making conflict resolution one of your utmost priorities, you may come to realize that it is by transcending conflicts that humans can flourish.”
― Thomas Lu, The Personal Sustainability Handbook: 60+ Practices to Sustainabilize Your Health, Finances, Relationships and Beyond