It can be easy to become more sensitive during these uncertain times. So, how can you ensure that a difference of opinion doesn't destroy the friendships you've invested in and worked so hard to develop?

Staying friends when one's opinion differs is all about remembering what truly matters, demonstrating effective communication skills, and keeping your focus on what really matters.

Try concentrating on shared goals, not different opinions. A difference of opinion can disguise a fundamental shared interest. Take for example a current hot topic of debate - two friends can be deeply engaged in an ongoing argument about vaccination passports. On the surface, they may appear at polar opposites, but dig deeper and you may find that a shared and important goal is to create a society that functions and feels secure - it is how that is achieved that differs, but the goal is the same.

By finding shared goals, we can be more tolerant and have a more informed debate, while focusing on differences we can become closed minded and inflexible.

When we start talking with a friend, we think we know what we are going to say. However, as the discussion continues, we can realize that our viewpoint has shifted a little, and perhaps a lot. Suddenly, we are saying things we hadn't even considered, talking from our emotions rather than what we truly think.

It is not uncommon for us to believe we now hold a more extreme take on things after a heated discussion has passed, even though we were never initially convinced it was the right one. The desire to be right causes an easy way to drift further and further away from not just the friend, but who we are ourselves.

Consider writing down your ideas on paper. Are these the things what you truly believe? Where did you actually get these ideas from? Are they true, or are they based on assumptions or opinion? What would you need to research?

If you stand in a different place, you have a different view. Try to consider different viewpoints before dismissing other people.

Do you often plan your next argument as the other person speaks, and then jump right in? Such half-listening leaves us missing information that could provide us with new insights. Conversation isn’t a war - it doesn’t work if we keep pushing forward even if we did not fully understand the other person's point.

Think how many relationships might still be intact if we only asked for clarification before assuming things and getting defensive? If we acknowledged those times when we didn’t really understand, and asked for an explanation? Before allowing a small misunderstanding to lead to a huge rift?

Ask for clarification if you are not sure you are getting what the other person means. Also, if you don't feel you are expressing yourself clearly, let them know that you aren't sure you are saying it well, and ask them to reiterate for you.

A change of mind is okay if you feel that you’ve learned something new or discovered that you are wrong. Despite our best efforts, none of us are robots or full of omniscience. We can’t know everything. We must learn new things and be alright with changing what we think or how we do things. This is being human.

Having a hard time admitting you were wrong? Rather than become defensive or ghosting your friend, take a moment to reflect on your own issues.
As a rule, people who hate admitting that they have made a mistake, also struggle with low self-esteem and a lack of self-confidence. The fear of being rejected may seem ironic when someone sticks rigidly to a particular viewpoint, but this is closely linked to feeling like a failure if they back down. They worry that the other person will lose respect towards them also.

Every story and every situation has multiple factors. The world is more often than not a shade of grey, not a black and white picture. If you tend to think there are only two solutions, you have fallen victim to black and white thinking.

Consider - In ten years from now, will this situation really be as simple as you think it is now? What if both of you are mistaken and there is another solution which neither of you knows about? Is this situation really as simple as you have made it now?

Have you ever felt like your relationship with someone is based solely upon conflict? Friendships can be outgrown, particularly when they are not based on shared values, but on more shallow aspects, such as a shared workplace, being alumni of the same school, liking the same bands or type of night out.

Personal values are the most important part of any friendship. They are the things we value most in the face of all else, and regardless of what others may think about us. They are also the things we hold dearest even when all else falls away.

If you are going through a time of conflict with your friend, ask yourself the following:

What values do you and this other person share, despite this recent conflict?
Is there a chance that you will regret not still being friends in ten years time?
Are you merely at odds with this other person over a single topic, or is this a sign that the friendship has run it’s course and should come to an end?

Leaving a friend can be just as stressful as ending a romantic relationship. You're entitled to feel upset, bereft or frustrated afterwards, it is normal to feel these emotions.

As much as you can, you need to be prepared for all possibilities and reactions if you decide that the friendship is over. However, you also might not know how you'll feel until the point of leaving the relationship. You might be surprised to see that a friendship can be saved or transformed into something else.