I'm a big fan of psychiatrist Daniel Siegel. You may remember a past blog post where I shared some of Siegel's advice about what to do when you "flip your lid." Today, I want to talk about another strategy from Siegel. You may have heard of his Connect and Redirect method in the context of parenting. But the ideas behind it can strengthen your marriage (or any other relationship, for that matter). The key thing to remember about Connect and Redirect is that any interaction will be more fruitful and satisfying if you take a moment to establish emotional connection before launching into what you need. In our marriages, though, we often forget this step. Because we're all so busy, it seems easier just to "cut to the chase." We also tend to take those we're closest to for granted and be much more abrupt and less tactful with them than we are with other people. But taking that extra moment to build connection pays off. It helps your spouse get into the mental space where he can truly hear what you're saying and engage with you.