Relationships suffer when people do THIS

Relationships are diminished when partners get into the habit of making assumptions.

People say facetiously that when you assume, you "make an ass out of you and me."

Rather than make assumptions, people should:

Find the courage to ask questions, even tough ones.
Openly express their needs, wants, and feelings.
Communicate as clearly as possible so as to avoid drama and bickering.
Resist the urge to pretend to know what the other individual is thinking.

Making assumptions falls into the same category as playing games.

If you don't know how your partner feels on a given issue, just ask. If asking doesn't yield answers, then there are definite communication problems that need addressing.

In a healthy relationship, partners are glad to bounce ideas off one another and work together to arrive at solutions to problems in the relationship.

Without a strong system of communication in place, partners may potentially distrust one another, leading to endless arguments that will do nothing but undermine the relationship.

Partners won't always agree, and spats are sure to arise every now and then.

But no partner likes the other to think for them. Assuming we know what and how the other feels demonstrates that communication is being inhibited, with both people not feeling at ease to put such emotions on the table.

If a relationship is going to last, people cannot assume anything. They should go to the source and pick his or her brain; they should ask them what's in their heart.

Partners should thus serve as emotional outlets for one another. Vent and open up without becoming hostile. That's what being in a relationship is all about.

Once you've cleared the air, the two of you are bound to feel better. The only way to cement trust and intimacy is by remaining communicative. But making assumptions will only work against you in the long run.

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