Most of us were taught that great communication is the foundation of a great relationship. But that idea has a shadow side nobody talks about — and it's  making your fights longer, harder, and more damaging than they need to be.

In this episode, we name the hidden expectation that turns a solvable moment of frustration into a full-blown conflict: your need for justice. The belief that before you listen, before you soften, before you show up — she needs to earn it. That expectation is an escape hatch. And every time you take it, you miss the moment that could have changed everything.

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