Conflict and strife are two words that get thrown around a lot. But when we look at them more closely, it becomes clear that they’re not the same thing. Conflict is healthy for relationships and teams, but strife can be damaging. Understanding the nuances between these two concepts is essential for anyone who wants to cultivate more harmony in their life.

They’re different types of conflict

Conflict is a natural part of life. It’s how we learn to communicate, resolve differences, and make decisions. Conflict is not always constructive, but it can be productive when handled with care.

Strife, on the other hand, is not a natural part of life–it’s destructive and often results from unresolved conflict. When people are in strife with each other they may feel angry or resentful toward each other; they’re more likely to take things personally and get defensive when someone disagrees with them; they might even resort to name-calling or physical violence!

They arise for different reasons

Conflict arises when you don’t get your needs met. Strife arises when you think you are right and other people are wrong.

Conflict is about the situation, strife is about the person.

They have different outcomes

Conflict is not always destructive, nor is it always resolved.

• Conflict can be constructive or destructive, depending on the situation and the people involved. In some cases, conflict leads to positive outcomes like new ideas or solutions that weren’t previously possible; in others, it leads to harm or destruction (such as bullying).
• Conflict may be resolved or unresolved–and these two options have different outcomes for both parties involved in a dispute. When conflicts are resolved by compromise (both parties give up something), we often see them as less satisfying than if one side had won out over another–but this might be preferable if it means avoiding further conflict down the road! On the other hand: when resolving a disagreement means changing either yourself or your circumstances (or both), then this “resolution” could actually create more problems down the line…

They usually manifest themselves differently in the body and mind.

If you’re feeling stressed, frustrated or angry, it’s easy to assume that these are signs of conflict. But according to psychologist John Gottman (and other researchers), they aren’t necessarily the same thing.

Stress comes from external sources–like work deadlines and traffic jams–and is often accompanied by physical symptoms like headaches and stomachaches. Stress can be good for us in small doses: It motivates us to take action when we need to get something done quickly or efficiently. But too much stress can lead to anxiety disorders like generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), panic disorder and social phobia; depression; post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD); substance abuse problems such as alcoholism or drug addiction; sleep disorders including insomnia or obstructive sleep apnea; arthritis-related conditions such as fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS); chronic pain conditions such as migraines

Understanding the differences between these two types of conflict is essential for anyone who wants to cultivate more harmony in their life.

Conflict and strife are not the same. Conflict is a natural part of life, but strife is not. Conflict can be beneficial, while strife will always cause harm.

To understand how these two concepts differ from one another and why it’s important to understand them as separate entities, let’s look at some examples of each:

• A person at work who disagrees with your ideas is engaging in conflict; if they then go out of their way to make sure you fail or get fired because of their disagreement, this would be considered strife.
• If someone does something that annoys you (or worse), but doesn’t mean any ill will toward you personally–like leaving dirty dishes on the table after dinner–that’s an example of conflict; if they intentionally left those dishes there just so they could annoy/annoying other people who come over later on in order to get back at them for something unrelated entirely…that would be an example of strife!

The way we think about and experience conflict is important for our wellbeing. If we’re not clear about the differences between these two types of conflict, it can lead to misunderstandings, confusion and frustration. By understanding the nuances between them, you’ll be better equipped to handle any situation in a way that brings harmony back into your life!