How to Dig Yourself Out of a Hole

Everyone's done it. Said something nasty, stuck your foot in your big fat mouth, ruffled a few feathers What counts is how you handle yourself afterwards. Here's some pointers.

1- Accept criticism graciously
Don't get all bent out of shape if she criticizes you. Try and show understanding, even if you've had this fight the 'ahem' month before. Be open, offer your opinion, take her opinion into account, and move on. We usually get over our hissy-fits fairly quickly.

2- Take a time-out
In the heat of an argument, your adrenaline is racing, your heart is beating, and you're liable to say things you don't necessarily mean. Before disaster blows, find a "cool off" spot, a respite to gather your thoughts. Better yet, do something productive, pick up a sponge and scrub some of those dishes in the sink, do the laundry, pick up the dry-cleaning...something. (You'll definitely score some brownie points for that, and we all know what brownie points gets you boys later, don't we?)

3- Don't bring up the past
It doesn't matter that we said "that" during the last argument, get over it and move on. No need to exacerbate the issue. Stick to the problem at hand, not doing so will only add fuel to the fire. Remember, getting closer to the resolution means getting closer to make up sex, so stick to the topic at hand.

Once flared tempers subside, reach over and touch her arm or hold her hand. Women need a reassuring feeling after a fight.

4- Utter the hardest word
An actual apology can be one of the most difficult suggestions I can offer. Contrary to popular belief, all humans are capable of uttering the five-letter word, and no one has ever passed out after saying it. There's only so much you can do when you're wrong before you have to give in and say, "I'm sorry."

5. Say something nice to her
An argument can be extremely draining, and it can also leave behind a few temporary emotional scars. While it is important to be open and honest, the truth can sometimes hurt. Sometimes it's hard to forget the hurtful things a loved one says to you. It can be a whole lot easier to deal with if you throw something complimentary into the mix. Can't find anything good to say? LIE!

After that, reassure us that you really care about us. I can't stress enough how important this is.

6- Make plans for the evening
Once everything has settled down on the home front, take the time to plan a quick activity to get your minds off the disagreement. Although we called you a "lazy slob" and it's already forgotten, some of us women have a more difficult time just ignoring the hurtful things you may have retorted back. By taking the initiative to plan the evening, particularly after a disagreement, you're not only allowing yourselves to become preoccupied with something else, but you are also reassuring us that everything is ok.

FORGIVE BUT DON'T FORGET.

Apologizing doesn't just mean saying you're sorry and forgetting it ever happened. In fact, forgetting will only make the issue more prone to return and infect your relationship. By taking the time to discuss the problem openly and maturely, while always remembering that this is the person you love, a disagreement can surely become a vehicle to help you move on and serve as a learning tool.