In relationships, the big decisions—the choice to move in together, to get married, or even to part ways—are often front and center. These major milestones are easy to identify as pivotal, with clear consequences for your future together. Yet, equally impactful, though often overlooked, are the subtle, everyday micro-decisions that shape the quality and longevity of a relationship.

One of the most powerful, yet rarely discussed, is the decision about how you respond when your partner reaches out with small bids for attention or affection. These “bids for connection,” a term coined by relationship experts John and Julie Gottman, encompass any small gesture your partner makes to feel seen, supported, or connected. They could be as simple as a passing comment, a quick........

© Psychology Today