Conflict can bring out the worst in us.
But there is a way to stay grounded and respond with love.
This guide walks you through simple practices to help you notice your patterns, reconnect with God’s presence, and choose a more faithful response. Something to return to when you feel that gap and want a different way forward.
Inside, you’ll find reflections and practices that help you:
- Stay calm when conversations become difficult.
- Understand why certain conversations affect you so deeply.
- Reconnect with God when you’re feeling overwhelmed.
- Show up in tension with greater wisdom
Is this guide for you?
You want to show up with wisdom and patience in your relationships. But when conflict arises, it can feel like you lose control over what comes next. Why did I say that? Why didn’t I speak up? Why can’t I show up the way I want to?
This guide can help you:
- Recognize their default reactions before those reactions take over
- Notice what conflict feels like in their body, thoughts, and emotions
- Understand why certain situations trigger such strong responses
- Put language to patterns they’ve experienced but never named
Conflict doesn’t have to determine how you show up.
With practice, you can learn to respond with greater wisdom, courage, and love, even in the conversations that matter most. Start staying grounded today.
When I felt challenged, my instinct was to either defend my position or walk away. The Grounded Guide taught me to pay attention to what was happening inside me first — to notice my reactions, take a deep breath, and listen before responding. I've learned that when I slow down and ask questions, I often leave with a deeper understanding of the person in front of me.
Rhoni, Church Leader
More resources to help you stay grounded
On the Practicing Hope podcast, we’re having honest conversations about conflict, formation, and hope. These episodes are here to support you as you practice staying grounded and loving your neighbor. You don’t have to figure this out on your own.
-
Don’t Let Fear Drive Your Decisions
Have you ever carried a decision that felt heavy? Leadership often puts us in moments where there’s no obvious right answer — just responsibility, consequence, and the hope that we don’t cause harm. In this episode, Tanner Smith is joined by Chase Stancle and Sarah Johnson to explore what it means to discern well under pressure. -
How to Stay Human (And Hopeful) When Scrolling
In this episode of our Beholding series, Tanner Smith, Chase Rashad Stancle, and Sarah Johnson talk about how phones and social media shape our brains, our bodies, and our relationships — and how small, practical practices can help us stay human, grounded, and open to God, even while we scroll.