Phrases that save relationships: 

• If it bothers you, it matters to me.

• I was thinking about what happened earlier and I want to apologize... 

• It's ok to mess up. Nobody is perfect. 

• I still love you even when we're upset. 

• Thank you for having patience with me. I'm still learning this stuff. 

• I wanted to check in and see how you're feeling about all of this. 

• I know we're in charge of our own feelings but yours matter to me. 

• Neither way is better or worse... we just do it differently.

• I don't want to assume, so I thought I'd ask.