relationship advice

Maybe it's because we're both laid-back, but Erik and I rarely argue. In fact, we didn't have out first serious spat until, well, six years into our relationship! But every once in a while, we do get annoyed at each other. Which is why a conversation I had recently hit home. I was interviewing a relationship expert for a story, and she said something along the lines of, "In every argument, there's the thing that happened and the story that you tell yourself. It's important to mind the gap between the two." Isn't that so true? She recommended using the phrasing, "When you did X in Y circumstance, I felt Z." I followed this advice last week, and it worked. When I brought up an issue that's bugged me before, our conversation went more smoothly than in the past. It also helps that Erik is pretty much the sweetest guy in the universe. Yup, I married a good one!