The strongest way to establish bonds in a relationship is emotional payments. Without them, no relationship can survive. An emotional payment is something that makes the other party feel better: empathy, an apology, a concession. It can include all sorts of intangible things, such as respect, face-saving, a statement of the other person’s value. An emotional payment is almost always something that provides a solution to an irrational need. It is part of everyday life. Virtually everyone gets nervous, upset, panicky, angry, depressed or sad, and disappointed at some point. We all second-guess
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