Instead of fearing a situation in which you have to confront someone about their bad behavior or silencing your thoughts to keep everyone happy, you’re someone who speaks up and initiates difficult conversations. If this rings true for you, you’ll relate to these 15 experiences people who don’t fear conflict know to be true.
1. They know it’s not always good to keep the peace.
Harmony in your relationships is great and all, but never at the cost of your needs and self-expression! If that’s your motto, you might be someone who isn’t afraid of confrontation. You would rather have a fight with someone about your diverse views than shut yourself down to keep them happy. That never solves issues—it just makes them worse by making you resentful.
2. They feel confident when saying “no.”
People who fear confrontation might avoid setting healthy boundaries, saying “yes” to someone’s request for help even if they’re overstretched with commitments. Instead of being a people-pleaser, someone who isn’t afraid of confrontation knows what they need and can assertively say “no” to others without feeling guilty because they have healthy self-esteem.
3. They only say sorry if they’ve done wrong.
Someone who isn’t afraid of confrontation won’t take one for the team by apologizing if they feel they haven’t done anything wrong. While it’s healthy to be open-minded and consider other people’s feelings, they won’t resort to over-apologizing to seek other people’s approval. They know their worth and won’t compromise on it!
4. They embrace deep relationships while avoiding superficial ones.
When someone is confident and assertive, they’ll face conflict head-on, such as when expressing their feelings of disappointment, hurt, or outrage with loved ones. They know this helps to deepen their interactions, encouraging them to grow closer to the people they care about. They’d rather engage in conflict to achieve these emotional bonds instead of censoring themselves and reducing their relationships to superficial connections.
5. They repel toxic people.
One of the best things about being someone who doesn’t avoid confrontation is that it prevents manipulative people from being attracted to them. People can see from a mile away that these confrontational individuals are confident, assertive, and have healthy boundaries in place. They’re not doormats with low self-esteem who’ll let toxic people create chaos in their lives.
6. They feel a strong need to speak up about their needs.
In romantic relationships, people who aren’t afraid of confrontation tend to experience a strong impulse to express what’s on their mind. They’ll clearly and openly tell their partner what they need to be happy. Similarly, they avoid situations where they’re censoring their opinions or feelings, thereby fostering healthy communication. This also enables them to be their real selves with their partners.
7. Their pet peeve is people who leave the room during arguments.
An individual who doesn’t shy away from conflict focuses on solutions to the problem. They can’t handle it if the person they’re fighting with leaves the room or shuts down the conversation. They need to have closure, disliking it if situations are left hanging.
8. They take time to learn from conflict.
You know that feeling when you confront someone about how they hurt you only to regret what you said? It sucks and can turn into sleepless nights! Luckily, people who aren’t afraid of confrontation don’t experience that emotional aftermath. Instead, they prefer to focus on what they can learn from the conflict or tense situation to improve their conflict-resolution strategies in the future.
9. They don’t hold back when giving feedback.
Although some people shy away from giving others feedback, people who don’t fear confrontation will step up and say what they think. Even though they’re not trying to hurt others, they can be viewed as being harsh or too direct, which can cause people to fear asking them for their opinions. As a result, people who don’t fear confrontation often feel misunderstood.
10. They’re not phased by criticism.
When someone criticizes them, they don’t experience a dent in their self-esteem because they’re open to others’ feedback. They’re always seeking new ways to learn and grow, so they might ask others for their honest thoughts. However, although they’re open to feedback, this can make them struggle to understand when others aren’t.
11. They attack difficult topics right off the bat.
People who don’t feel scared to confront challenging conversation topics won’t shy away from talking about potentially awkward subjects, even on a first or second date. Although this is good because it shows they’re transparent with others and confident about their feelings, it can be intimidating to others who don’t share their level of confidence.
12. They’re always the mediator in other people’s arguments.
Since they’re skilled at being honest and bringing uncomfortable issues to light, people who aren’t afraid of confrontation are usually dragged into tense situations by loved ones so they can be the mediator. Since they’re used to confrontation, they have gained the empathy to understand other people’s perspectives and can find the middle ground between people.
13. They call people out for their bad behavior.
Instead of trying to placate others, someone who’s not afraid of confrontation will be real. If others step over the line and treat them badly, they’ll make their feelings heard. There’s no trying to please people or sugarcoat the truth, and this makes the people in their lives respect them much more than if they were trying to accommodate toxic behavior.
14. They don’t fear rejection.
People who aren’t afraid to confront others tend to be authentic. They’re comfortable in their skin, which gives them a chance to express their true selves, and acts as an armor against rejection. If someone dismisses their feelings or doesn’t like them, they accept that person’s right to feel a certain way while standing firm in their authenticity.
15. They don’t feel personally attacked during a confrontation.
One of the reasons why some people are unafraid of confrontation is because they’re secure within their identity and beliefs. So, if people question them or try to engage in an argument about their political or religious beliefs, they don’t shy away from it. They also don’t view people’s negativity as a personal attack, because they don’t have a fragile ego that causes them to take things personally.
