World Wellbeing Week: Small Steps That Can Help Resolve Conflict
As June winds down, we enter World Wellbeing Week, which, seeing as SCCR has its own Emotional Health and Wellbeing Lead, seems like a good moment to talk about how boosting your own wellbeing can help people to resolve conflict.
Looking after your own wellbeing can play a vital part in protecting your relationships.
As World Wellbeing Week (24–30 June) begins, it’s worth reflecting that we don’t have to wait until our relationships reach a crisis point before acting. Nor do we need to make dramatic, life-changing transformations. Small, consistent steps that help us feel more emotionally balanced can, over time, give us the tools and perspective to manage difficult moments within our families.
The truth is that conflict is part of family life. We can’t avoid it entirely. But what we can change is how we respond to it, and that’s where wellbeing comes in.
Wellbeing Doesn’t Erase Conflict; It Changes How We Handle It
From our work with families, young people, parents and carers, we can say that one thing is clear: when we feel stressed, overwhelmed or ‘wound up’, it’s much harder to respond to conflict in a positive way. It’s in these moments that arguments can escalate quickly, often impacting our relationships.
On the other hand, when we invest in our wellbeing, we’re better able to approach those same situations with more calm, clarity and control.
For parents and carers, this is especially important. It’s difficult to support a young person to regulate their emotions if we’re struggling to regulate our own. Often, the first step in managing conflict isn’t changing the other person’s behaviour – it’s checking in with ourselves.
Putting Our Best Foot Forward
A common misconception is that wellbeing techniques are something we only use in the heat of an argument: take a deep breath, calm down, and everything will be fine.
But it doesn’t work like that.
The skills that support us in conflict are most effective when we practise them in calmer moments. Wellbeing isn’t a quick fix; it’s something we build over time.
That said, it doesn’t need to be time-consuming or complicated. It might look like:
- Going for a short walk
- Listening to music
- Spending time with others
- Doing something that helps you feel calm or grounded
The key is finding what works for you. Wellbeing isn’t one-size-fits-all, and it doesn’t have to match a stereotypical idea of ‘self-care’. With practice, these small steps can make a big difference, helping us put our best foot forward when conflict arises.
It’s Okay to Ask for Help
An important part of wellbeing is recognising when we need support. Often, people feel that ‘asking for help’ means reaching a crisis point, but it doesn’t have to.
Friends and family can be a good place to start. If speaking to someone you know feels difficult, there are also services and counsellors available, many of which offer helpful resources online.
At SCCR, our resources are designed to support families to understand emotions, build resilience, and develop practical ways to respond to conflict. These are free and available on our website. We also offer online sessions exploring common causes of conflict and ways to approach them more positively.
People, particularly those who feel unfamiliar with wellbeing, can sometimes think it’s ‘not for them’. They might picture yoga, candles or meditation and feel it doesn’t fit. But wellbeing is personal. It’s about finding what works for you.
This World Wellbeing Week, we’re encouraging families to think differently about wellbeing, not as an extra task, but as something that can be woven into everyday life, helping you and your family navigate conflict in a way that feels healthier and more positive for everyone.
