SOLERA DIAMOND VALLEY | JULY 2026 7
By Clare Mendez, Communications Advisory Committee
Chairperson
Have you ever been so mad or frustrated you just wanted
to "kick the dog" or "yell at someone?" I have, but I also
learned addressing
disputes requires
me to remain calm
and explain my
frustration, in a civil
manner, to the other
party.
If your emotions are
running high, collect
your thoughts and
remind yourself that
resolving the issue
is more important
than winning the
argument. Raising your voice only makes the other party
want to withdraw. Take a moment to inhale and calm your
emotions. Once the emotional intensity has dropped, feel
free to continue. No matter what else, do your best to keep
patience and kindness at the top of your list.
We all need to practice active listening by letting the
other person nish speaking without interrupting (this goes
for the person arguing as well as the listener). Both parties
should be given ample time to speak without interruption.
It's best to repeat what you are hearing, making sure you
understand the issue.
If the issue needs
to be investigated
further to be
productive, table the
discussion for a time
when a resolution can
be found.
We all lose our cool
from time to time.
An apology can't
undo some hurtful
thing you said, but
when done right,
it can cancel out the negative eects of your actions and
move your relationship forward. And, get this, research
shows that an apology actually aects the person receiving
it physically. eir blood pressure decreases, and their
breathing becomes steadier as their heart rate slows. Now
that's a nice way to end a rough discussion?
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