We’ve all been there. One moment, everything feels fine. The next, you and your partner are in the same fight you swore you’d never have again, the same type of fight you’ve had a hundred times. It starts small—a tone of voice, a forgotten task, but spirals into something bigger, leaving both of you angry, disconnected, and emotionally drained. This exhausting pattern is known as the conflict cycle.

Election season is always tense, but this one has been especially divisive. For many, the results don’t just signal political shifts—they touch on deeply held values and beliefs, and impact many of our lives in deeply personal ways. When the outcome doesn’t match our expectations, it can leave us feeling frustrated, powerless, and even fearful. It’s important that we understand that about ourselves and our neighbors.