Welcome to Before Breakfast, a production of I Heart Radio.

Good morning.

This is Laura.

Welcome to the Before Breakfast Podcast.

Today's tip is to be a little deaf sometimes.

Sometimes it's best to pretend that you didn't hear what someone just said.

You may recognize this tip from the late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg.

She liked to quote the advice her mother-in-law gave her on her wedding day.

In every good marriage, her mother-in-law said,

it helps sometimes to be a little deaf.

Having been happily married for more than 16 years, I agree with this advice, or at least I hope my husband does, when it comes to what comes out of my mouth.

Not every expression of irritation needs to be addressed.

There are times when we all say things we shouldn't have,

often when we're tired, or rushed. Usually these comments are not indications of deep-seated feelings, and there's really not a lot to discuss about them.

So best to let them go and move on.

Now, letting a stray and sensitive comment past unacknowledged doesn't mean you're a

doormat. I am pretty sure no one ever called Ruth Bader Ginsburg a doormat.

It just means that you choose your battles.

When necessary, you can assert yourself.

You can have a difficult conversation.

But you can also choose to direct your attention elsewhere.

Being able to look the other way could help in your marriage and in your parenting and professional life too.

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