Separate Observation from Interpretation

"He didn't reply for two hours" is an observation. "He's ignoring me" is an interpretation. The gap between these two statements is where most conflicts begin — we treat our interpretations as facts without noticing the jump. Training yourself to pause and separate what actually happened from the story you're telling about it is one of the most powerful thinking habits you can develop. It won't eliminate misunderstandings, but it will catch many of them before they escalate.