Every time I watched my parents resolve an argument, I realized how much listening mattered. They didn’t just wait for their turn to speak; they really tried to hear each other out.
Research from the Gottman Institute shows couples who practice active listening are 86% more likely to resolve conflicts constructively, proving what I saw at home plays out in real life. My mom would sometimes say, “I want to understand, not just respond.” That stuck with me.
Honest, open conversations, even about tough topics, …