When a relationship has very little trust, you tend to interpret everything someone says in the worst possible light, or you may hear hostility, contempt, or dismissiveness where none exists

The way trust gets rebuilt is by ✨small, positive interactions✨

1. Acknowledge it is hard beforehand:
2. or check in afterwards
3. Speak tentatively: “From my perspective, it looks like these results might be missing some data… do you see the same thing?” opens the door for a friendly conversation
4. Try to sound friendly
5. Take a breath
6. When you are in a state where you are assuming the worst of someone and reading hostile intent into their words or actions, try to check yourself on those assumptions.
7. Engineer positive interactions, even if you have to invent them: 5 positive interactions for every one negative interaction
8. Remember the handicaps, and value the effort.