I'll be upfront with you: One of the best gifts you can give yourself and your husband this time of year is being direct. Kind directness keeps the lines of communication open in your marriage. It keeps resentments from taking root. It helps make sure you're both operating from the same set of expectations. Yet being direct is hard for many women. Why is that? Why are we so uncomfortable asking for what we need or telling others what's going on with us? A lot of it has to do with how women have been raised in our culture. You may have been taught to anticipate everyone else's needs — your husband's, your kids', your boss's. And I bet you're very good at it. You probably know the subtle signs that your husband is ready to leave a party, or that your daughter could use some extra encouragement before her semester exams.