I think avoiding an argument is a basic life skill. Just think, how many times it popped into your head to talk something negative about someone. If you count how much annoying thing you see around and strat an argument there, there's no way you can live in peace. The same thing actually happens to each of us.
We all have so many different opinions and perspectives. It's hard to agree on everything. But this also doesn't mean we have to end up arguing what we don't like. Many times, you will find yourself in an ugly argument too. So knowing how to avoid that to increase your mental wellness we should know a few things.
- Reshaping thoughts.
Maybe you are thinking too much negative, maybe you have to stop accusing others of the problem or maybe you are not looking into the right place for the problem; whatever it is; changing our thoughts can help us to reduce the urge to argue.
- Voice tone and word choice.
It's really important to notice what words you are using while having a conversation with others. Notice your voice tone as well. These can stop any potential arguments as well.
- Listen to the other party.
Most of the time an argument arises because one party feels they are not being heard. So try to listen to others' points, give attention and these will solve many problems.
- Defuse and pause.
If you feel like arguing or see the other party starting an argument; try to defuse it. You can use some destruction like complimenting them, talking about something else, etc. This pause will help to reduce arguments.
However, we have to have the intention to not argue. Otherwise, no matter what strategy we follow we will end up arguing, and who knows maybe an ugly argument!