Internal conflict is the experience of opposing beliefs, desires, feelings or impulses. It is also called cognitive dissonance, which means that a person has conflicting beliefs, thoughts and attitudes. Internal conflict often arises in those moments when the mind says one thing, but emotions say something completely different. And here’s what’s interesting: our intellect and logical thinking allow to give life some form, structure and practical application. And emotions, or the heart, give interest to this life, its fullness and meaning. But not listening to your heart means living without joy and satisfaction, and not listening to your mind means living in complete confusion. What does this mean? We should always try to maintain a balance and listen equally to the desires of the soul and to the comments of the mind, without valuing one above the other. The reasons that provoke internal conflict can be very different. But often they originate from the beliefs and rules that we received from our parents, and the values ​​and ideals that we absorbed in ourselves as children. And the more mental attitudes, beliefs and ideals a person has, the higher the likelihood of internal conflict. What to do if you are faced with internal conflict in your life? Determine which attitudes plunge you into a state of confusion, and which beliefs cause inner conflict in you conflict. Try writing them down on paper and ask the question next to it: “Why is this happening?” For example, you want to move up the career ladder, which, of course, requires you to be more involved in your work and spend more time on activities. At the same time, you want to spend more time with your family and pay more attention to your children. But what if you believe that if you choose a family, you automatically become an unfulfilled person, because this is the belief of the society around you? Try to honestly answer the question: “What am I really afraid of?” After all, this fear is always outside the plane of the internal conflict itself. If you were faced with the task of “decision or death,” what decision would you choose at the moment? What might you regret when you're 80? What choice would be based on your real desire at the time of internal conflict? When analyzing your internal conflict, you will discover deeper problems that need to be solved, for example, negative beliefs, feelings of shame or guilt, childhood traumas. In situations of internal conflict, it is always important to relax the mind and achieve inner peace. How to do it: Distinguish between the inner voice of intuition and fear. Inner instinct manifests itself quite clearly, but is barely audible, while fear sounds intrusive, loud and blurry. Think about which choice will be the most correct for you, based on a long-term perspective. Write down all the pros and cons of each option for solving the situation. Arrange priorities and find out what you value most at the moment.