Team spirit is bolstered in a marriage when partners rally each other with language that signals a desire to work together. The article cites a study by UC Berkeley researchers who recorded the emotional interactions of long-married couples and their propensity to use “we” versus “I” language when describing a conflict. The most positive and least stressful interactions were recorded when at least one spouse used inclusive words, like “our” to represent their connection. Older couples with shared experiences seemed to best grasp the “I-less” marriage and were more able to happily develop identities together instead of apart.

Read the full article here: Taking the “I” Out of Marriage