Learn to Fight Like a Girl

Mindfully Masculine: Personal Growth and Mental Health for Men

In this episode of Mindfully Masculine, Charles and Dan dive deep into conflict resolution strategies inspired by The Man’s Guide to Women by the Gottmans. This episode isn’t just about fighting—it's about learning how to navigate disagreements with greater empathy, patience, and self-awareness.

Key Highlights:

• Understanding Conflict: Why conflict is inevitable in relationships and how to embrace it as part of healthy connection.
• Biological Differences: How men and women experience and process anger differently—and why understanding this can improve communication.
• Self-Soothing for Men: Practical techniques like deep breathing, taking breaks, and diaphragmatic breathing to regulate emotional responses during heated moments.
• Critical Questions to Ask: The three essential questions to uncover the root of your partner’s frustration— "What do you need?", "What are you concerned about?", and "What are you feeling?"
• Managing Defensiveness: How to avoid the common trap of defensiveness by validating your partner’s emotions without jumping to solutions or rebuttals.
• The Power of Taking Breaks: Why a 20-30 minute break during conflict can lead to better outcomes, and how to effectively communicate the need for space.

Why You Should Listen:
This episode isn’t about "winning" arguments—it’s about mastering the art of managing emotions and building stronger, more connected relationships. If you’ve ever struggled with feeling misunderstood or defensive during disagreements, Charles and Dan offer actionable insights that will help you fight smarter, not harder.

Listen Now to Discover:

• How to break free from destructive fight-or-flight patterns.
• Simple yet powerful habits that can transform your approach to relationship conflict.
• Why emotional regulation is key to fostering long-term relationship success.

Tune in and learn why "fighting like a girl" might just be the best relationship advice you’ve ever received.

Keywords for Search Optimization:
Relationship conflict resolution, men’s emotional health, healthy fighting in relationships, Gottman relationship advice, conflict management for men, improving communication in relationships, relationship podcast for men, self-soothing techniques, emotional intelligence for men.

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Розділи

1. Introduction (00:00:00)

2. Living with a Partner -- Personal Experiences (00:01:28)

3. Conflict in Relationships -- Inevitable but Manageable (00:02:52)

4. Understanding Anger -- Gender Differences (00:06:08)

5. Self-Soothing Techniques for Men (00:09:48)

6. Effective Communication During Conflict (00:13:34)

7. The Four Horsemen of Relationship Conflict (00:14:41)

8. Practical Tools for Managing Conflict (00:17:33)

9. Why Taking Breaks is Essential (00:21:48)

10. Asking the Right Questions to Resolve Conflict (00:25:30)

11. Emotional Awareness and Resilience (00:32:58)

12. Closing Thoughts and Preview of Next Episode (00:40:51)