Focusing on the small side of relationships. It is all too easy for our attention to become obsessed with some overblown soap opera.

If you are emotionally entangled, ask yourself: "When have I felt this before?" If you are honest with yourself, you will almost certainly recall having similar feelings in previous circumstances. Instead of exclusively attributing our feelings to the current situation, we should recognize that outside events are merely triggers for classic internal patterns of emotional reactivity, which we've experienced throughout our lives.

How much will the present difficulty matter in 100 years? Handle your relationships in a way you will remember well on your deathbed.