Compromise isn’t losing. It’s both people choosing the friendship over being right.

Winning an argument and keeping a friendship are frequently different objectives, and it is easy to pursue the first while believing you are protecting the second. A compromise is not a failure to hold your ground; it is a decision about what you value more in this particular case. The scorekeeping instinct is what makes it feel like a loss.

In the next disagreement, say out loud what you actually want out of it. If the answer is the friendship, offer something real early rather than trading concessions until someone gives up.