The best relationships stay connected regardless of what.
What sets emotionally intelligent couples apart is their ability to stay connected, even when disagreements arise. I’m often more concerned about couples who never fight, because avoiding conflict entirely can hide unresolved hurts. After all, the closer you are, the more likely ruptures are to happen, and how you handle them matters. Here are three things emotionally intelligent couples do differently when they are in conflict. 1. They don’t assume the worst about their partner’s intent We’ve all been there. One sharp comment can seem like an attack on your character. For example, you forget to text back and it is interpreted as not caring. A request for space could be misconstrued as abandonment. Instead of assuming the worst, the most emotionally intelligent couples will ask questions like: “Can you help me understand what was happening for you?” “What did you hear me say?” “What part of this feels hardest?” “What’s been on your mind lately that I haven’t asked about?” “What’s...