Was it worth it, bro?

The gist

1. Grand gestures rarely repair relationships; rebuilding trust works better through small, consistent actions over time, like coaxing a scared cat rather than chasing it.
2. Williamson says trying better matters more than trying harder, because increased effort often pushes a partner further away.
3. The approach-avoidance dynamic explains why people caught between wanting reconnection and fearing rejection end up sending mixed signals.
4. Delayed gratification is increasingly rare, Williamson says, which leads people to dramatic public gestures instead of the slow, unglamorous work of rebuilding trust.