Relationship Tips

27. Speak in sentences or, at most, paragraphs instead of pages during a difficult conversation. Your partner will only remember the last sentence or two you say and forget the beginning of a long speech.

28. Paraphrase your partner’s words when you are having a difficult conversation and ask if you understood the words correctly. Just saying “I understand” is usually not telling the truth: you probably don’t.

29. Add your own thoughts to the conversation only after your partner acknowledges that you understand. This slows down a difficult conversation and makes it less likely that you will say things that you will later regret.

30. Create conversations by phone, text or even email instead of face to face when you keep getting stuck in the same old patterns. It is often easier to stick to discussing information when you can’t react to the expressions on each other’s faces.