How Avoiding Conflict Might Be Why Your Anxiety, Stress and Overwhelm are Through The Roof And Shakespeare's 5 Rules Of Fight Club

"Sir, in my heart there was a kind of fighting that would not let me sleep."

Most of us do anything - ANYTHING - to avoid conflict. There's always a dozen good reasons for standing on the sidelines. For instance, we might get hurt. Better to call the police. Then again what if you have to be a witness in a court case? We've seen those movies where one minute you see a crime being committed and the next you're hiding in an Amish community falling in love with Kelly McGillis. What's the point of making a fuss?

The problem is, by refusing to do anything you're giving a free ride to that small number of people who love conflict. No wonder we get stressed and anxious doing what we can to stay on the right side of those bad-tempered short-fuse types who force us to tiptoe around them.

What can we do to alleviate the stress? Well let's not be hasty here, not jumping in is probably the first rule of Fight Club. Sooner or later though you're going to have to react. Trying to make the peace is the second rule and is equally as sensible, but what if that fails?

Time to call on the Mel Robbins of Stratford-upon Avon.

Since nearly all of Shakespeare's plays are about conflict, even the funny ones, there's a whole toolbox of handy hints for resolution. Not always a happy ending, but then do you really want to keep living with the stress and anxiety of doing nothing at all? Rule three examines the best way to pick your battles, rule four tells you what you'd rather not hear and rule five... well you're going to have to get to the end to find out rule five. Bloomin eck I'm not gonna tell you everything am I? Wanna fight about it?

Plays featured this week include Romeo and Juliet - which let's face it is a non-stop fightorama - Julius Caesar and Antony and Cleopatra, Antony being the best example of rule three and the worst of four.

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