<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?><rss xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/" xmlns:content="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/" xmlns:atom="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom" version="2.0" xmlns:itunes="http://www.itunes.com/dtds/podcast-1.0.dtd" xmlns:googleplay="http://www.google.com/schemas/play-podcasts/1.0"><channel><title><![CDATA[The Connection Compass: Compass Issues]]></title><description><![CDATA[Compass Issues are short, practical guides designed to help you apply these ideas in your marriage one step at a time. Each Issue focuses on one key shift, a few simple actions, and one small win.]]></description><link>https://theconnectioncompass.online/s/compass-issues</link><image><url>https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!uLyb!,w_256,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F32c9c959-9cdb-46ad-9e90-43ae1add438c_500x500.png</url><title>The Connection Compass: Compass Issues</title><link>https://theconnectioncompass.online/s/compass-issues</link></image><generator>Substack</generator><lastBuildDate>Thu, 30 Jul 2026 13:58:31 GMT</lastBuildDate><atom:link href="https://theconnectioncompass.online/feed" rel="self" type="application/rss+xml"/><copyright><![CDATA[Lee H. Baucom, PhD]]></copyright><language><![CDATA[en]]></language><webMaster><![CDATA[connectioncompass@substack.com]]></webMaster><itunes:owner><itunes:email><![CDATA[connectioncompass@substack.com]]></itunes:email><itunes:name><![CDATA[Lee H. Baucom, PhD]]></itunes:name></itunes:owner><itunes:author><![CDATA[Lee H. Baucom, PhD]]></itunes:author><googleplay:owner><![CDATA[connectioncompass@substack.com]]></googleplay:owner><googleplay:email><![CDATA[connectioncompass@substack.com]]></googleplay:email><googleplay:author><![CDATA[Lee H. Baucom, PhD]]></googleplay:author><itunes:block><![CDATA[Yes]]></itunes:block><item><title><![CDATA[Compass Issue #24 — Guarding Your Connection]]></title><description><![CDATA[Most marriages don&#8217;t lose connection because people stop caring.]]></description><link>https://theconnectioncompass.online/p/compass-issue-24-guarding-your-connection</link><guid isPermaLink="false">https://theconnectioncompass.online/p/compass-issue-24-guarding-your-connection</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Lee H. Baucom, PhD]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Thu, 30 Jul 2026 13:01:30 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1506967726964-da9127fdec36?crop=entropy&amp;cs=tinysrgb&amp;fit=max&amp;fm=jpg&amp;ixid=M3wzMDAzMzh8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHw0fHxwcm90ZWN0fGVufDB8fHx8MTc4NDE1NDc3NHww&amp;ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=80&amp;w=1080" length="0" type="image/jpeg"/><content:encoded><![CDATA[<div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img" target="_blank" href="https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1506967726964-da9127fdec36?crop=entropy&amp;cs=tinysrgb&amp;fit=max&amp;fm=jpg&amp;ixid=M3wzMDAzMzh8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHw0fHxwcm90ZWN0fGVufDB8fHx8MTc4NDE1NDc3NHww&amp;ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=80&amp;w=1080" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" 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lot&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:null,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/jpg&quot;,&quot;href&quot;:null,&quot;belowTheFold&quot;:false,&quot;topImage&quot;:true,&quot;internalRedirect&quot;:null,&quot;isProcessing&quot;:false,&quot;align&quot;:null,&quot;offset&quot;:false}" class="sizing-normal" alt="gray padlocks lot" title="gray padlocks lot" srcset="https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1506967726964-da9127fdec36?crop=entropy&amp;cs=tinysrgb&amp;fit=max&amp;fm=jpg&amp;ixid=M3wzMDAzMzh8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHw0fHxwcm90ZWN0fGVufDB8fHx8MTc4NDE1NDc3NHww&amp;ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=80&amp;w=1080 424w, https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1506967726964-da9127fdec36?crop=entropy&amp;cs=tinysrgb&amp;fit=max&amp;fm=jpg&amp;ixid=M3wzMDAzMzh8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHw0fHxwcm90ZWN0fGVufDB8fHx8MTc4NDE1NDc3NHww&amp;ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=80&amp;w=1080 848w, 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15.9537 4.46214 17.0852 7.23684L17.6179 8.67647M17.6179 8.67647L18.5002 4.26471M17.6179 8.67647L13.6473 6.91176M17.4995 12.1841C16.5378 15.2609 13.5967 17.5 10.1178 17.5C6.86118 17.5 4.07589 15.5379 2.94432 12.7632L2.41165 11.3235M2.41165 11.3235L1.5293 15.7353M2.41165 11.3235L6.38224 13.0882"></path></g></svg></button><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="2" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" class="lucide lucide-maximize2 lucide-maximize-2"><polyline points="15 3 21 3 21 9"></polyline><polyline points="9 21 3 21 3 15"></polyline><line x1="21" x2="14" y1="3" y2="10"></line><line x1="3" x2="10" y1="21" y2="14"></line></svg></button></div></div></div></a><figcaption class="image-caption">Photo by <a href="https://unsplash.com/@thejmoore">Jon Moore</a> on <a href="https://unsplash.com">Unsplash</a></figcaption></figure></div><p>Most marriages don&#8217;t lose connection because people stop caring.</p><p>They lose connection because life becomes crowded.</p><p>Work.</p><p>Kids.</p><p>Stress.</p><p>Responsibilities.</p><p>Little by little, the relationship gets whatever time and energy happen to be left over.</p><div class="callout-block" data-callout="true"><p>In this Compass Issue, you&#8217;ll discover why connection needs to be protected, not just hoped for&#8230; and how a few intentional choices can help your marriage remain strong even during life&#8217;s busiest seasons.</p></div>
      <p>
          <a href="https://theconnectioncompass.online/p/compass-issue-24-guarding-your-connection">
              Read more
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   ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title><![CDATA[Compass Issue #23 — Creating a Culture of Connection]]></title><description><![CDATA[Every marriage has a culture.]]></description><link>https://theconnectioncompass.online/p/compass-issue-23-creating-a-culture</link><guid isPermaLink="false">https://theconnectioncompass.online/p/compass-issue-23-creating-a-culture</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Lee H. Baucom, PhD]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Thu, 23 Jul 2026 13:00:58 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1579208570378-8c970854bc23?crop=entropy&amp;cs=tinysrgb&amp;fit=max&amp;fm=jpg&amp;ixid=M3wzMDAzMzh8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHw3fHxjb25uZWN0aW9ufGVufDB8fHx8MTc4NDE0MzMxOXww&amp;ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=80&amp;w=1080" length="0" type="image/jpeg"/><content:encoded><![CDATA[<div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img" target="_blank" href="https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1579208570378-8c970854bc23?crop=entropy&amp;cs=tinysrgb&amp;fit=max&amp;fm=jpg&amp;ixid=M3wzMDAzMzh8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHw3fHxjb25uZWN0aW9ufGVufDB8fHx8MTc4NDE0MzMxOXww&amp;ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=80&amp;w=1080" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" 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heart&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:null,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/jpg&quot;,&quot;href&quot;:null,&quot;belowTheFold&quot;:false,&quot;topImage&quot;:true,&quot;internalRedirect&quot;:null,&quot;isProcessing&quot;:false,&quot;align&quot;:null,&quot;offset&quot;:false}" class="sizing-normal" alt="two person holding papercut heart" title="two person holding papercut heart" srcset="https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1579208570378-8c970854bc23?crop=entropy&amp;cs=tinysrgb&amp;fit=max&amp;fm=jpg&amp;ixid=M3wzMDAzMzh8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHw3fHxjb25uZWN0aW9ufGVufDB8fHx8MTc4NDE0MzMxOXww&amp;ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=80&amp;w=1080 424w, https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1579208570378-8c970854bc23?crop=entropy&amp;cs=tinysrgb&amp;fit=max&amp;fm=jpg&amp;ixid=M3wzMDAzMzh8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHw3fHxjb25uZWN0aW9ufGVufDB8fHx8MTc4NDE0MzMxOXww&amp;ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=80&amp;w=1080 848w, 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href="https://unsplash.com">Unsplash</a></figcaption></figure></div><p>Every marriage has a culture.</p><p>It&#8217;s reflected in the way you greet each other.</p><p>How you handle disappointment.</p><p>Whether laughter is common.</p><p>Whether kindness is expected.</p><p>The question isn&#8217;t whether your marriage has a culture.</p><p>The question is: <em>What kind of culture are you creating?</em></p><div class="callout-block" data-callout="true"><p>In this Compass Issue, you&#8217;ll discover how everyday choices gradually shape the emotional culture of a marriage&#8230; and why even one person can begin influencing that culture toward greater connection.</p></div>
      <p>
          <a href="https://theconnectioncompass.online/p/compass-issue-23-creating-a-culture">
              Read more
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      </p>
   ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title><![CDATA[Compass Issue #22 — Love Is a Direction, Not a Destination]]></title><description><![CDATA[Many people think love is something you either feel or you don&#8217;t.]]></description><link>https://theconnectioncompass.online/p/compass-issue-22-love-is-a-direction</link><guid isPermaLink="false">https://theconnectioncompass.online/p/compass-issue-22-love-is-a-direction</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Lee H. Baucom, PhD]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Thu, 16 Jul 2026 13:03:30 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1504607798333-52a30db54a5d?crop=entropy&amp;cs=tinysrgb&amp;fit=max&amp;fm=jpg&amp;ixid=M3wzMDAzMzh8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHwyMHx8ZGlyZWN0aW9ufGVufDB8fHx8MTc4MzcwMzMwMHww&amp;ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=80&amp;w=1080" length="0" type="image/jpeg"/><content:encoded><![CDATA[<div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img" target="_blank" href="https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1504607798333-52a30db54a5d?crop=entropy&amp;cs=tinysrgb&amp;fit=max&amp;fm=jpg&amp;ixid=M3wzMDAzMzh8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHwyMHx8ZGlyZWN0aW9ufGVufDB8fHx8MTc4MzcwMzMwMHww&amp;ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=80&amp;w=1080" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" 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compass&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:null,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/jpg&quot;,&quot;href&quot;:null,&quot;belowTheFold&quot;:false,&quot;topImage&quot;:true,&quot;internalRedirect&quot;:null,&quot;isProcessing&quot;:false,&quot;align&quot;:null,&quot;offset&quot;:false}" class="sizing-normal" alt="shallow focus photograph of black and gray compass" title="shallow focus photograph of black and gray compass" srcset="https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1504607798333-52a30db54a5d?crop=entropy&amp;cs=tinysrgb&amp;fit=max&amp;fm=jpg&amp;ixid=M3wzMDAzMzh8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHwyMHx8ZGlyZWN0aW9ufGVufDB8fHx8MTc4MzcwMzMwMHww&amp;ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=80&amp;w=1080 424w, https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1504607798333-52a30db54a5d?crop=entropy&amp;cs=tinysrgb&amp;fit=max&amp;fm=jpg&amp;ixid=M3wzMDAzMzh8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHwyMHx8ZGlyZWN0aW9ufGVufDB8fHx8MTc4MzcwMzMwMHww&amp;ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=80&amp;w=1080 848w, https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1504607798333-52a30db54a5d?crop=entropy&amp;cs=tinysrgb&amp;fit=max&amp;fm=jpg&amp;ixid=M3wzMDAzMzh8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHwyMHx8ZGlyZWN0aW9ufGVufDB8fHx8MTc4MzcwMzMwMHww&amp;ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=80&amp;w=1080 1272w, https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1504607798333-52a30db54a5d?crop=entropy&amp;cs=tinysrgb&amp;fit=max&amp;fm=jpg&amp;ixid=M3wzMDAzMzh8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHwyMHx8ZGlyZWN0aW9ufGVufDB8fHx8MTc4MzcwMzMwMHww&amp;ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=80&amp;w=1080 1456w" sizes="100vw" fetchpriority="high"></picture><div class="image-link-expand"><div class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"><svg aria-hidden="true" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 20 20" fill="none" stroke-width="1.5" stroke="var(--color-fg-primary)" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><g><path d="M2.53001 7.81595C3.49179 4.73911 6.43281 2.5 9.91173 2.5C13.1684 2.5 15.9537 4.46214 17.0852 7.23684L17.6179 8.67647M17.6179 8.67647L18.5002 4.26471M17.6179 8.67647L13.6473 6.91176M17.4995 12.1841C16.5378 15.2609 13.5967 17.5 10.1178 17.5C6.86118 17.5 4.07589 15.5379 2.94432 12.7632L2.41165 11.3235M2.41165 11.3235L1.5293 15.7353M2.41165 11.3235L6.38224 13.0882"></path></g></svg></button><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="2" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" class="lucide lucide-maximize2 lucide-maximize-2"><polyline points="15 3 21 3 21 9"></polyline><polyline points="9 21 3 21 3 15"></polyline><line x1="21" x2="14" y1="3" y2="10"></line><line x1="3" x2="10" y1="21" y2="14"></line></svg></button></div></div></div></a><figcaption class="image-caption">Photo by <a href="https://unsplash.com/@codzilla_swiss">AbsolutVision</a> on <a href="https://unsplash.com">Unsplash</a></figcaption></figure></div><p>Many people think love is something you either feel or you don&#8217;t.</p><p>But lasting marriages are built on something deeper.</p><p>Love isn&#8217;t just a feeling.</p><p>It&#8217;s a direction.</p><div class="callout-block" data-callout="true"><p>In this Compass Issue, we&#8217;ll explore why healthy marriages are built through intentional choices rather than changing emotions&#8230; and how choosing your direction each day helps create a stronger relationship over time.</p></div>
      <p>
          <a href="https://theconnectioncompass.online/p/compass-issue-22-love-is-a-direction">
              Read more
          </a>
      </p>
   ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title><![CDATA[Compass Issue #21 — Choose Connection]]></title><description><![CDATA[When a marriage is hurting, it&#8217;s easy to believe that connection is something you either have...]]></description><link>https://theconnectioncompass.online/p/compass-issue-21-choose-connection</link><guid isPermaLink="false">https://theconnectioncompass.online/p/compass-issue-21-choose-connection</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Lee H. Baucom, PhD]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Fri, 10 Jul 2026 13:03:36 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1574740637579-9ca0a610e491?crop=entropy&amp;cs=tinysrgb&amp;fit=max&amp;fm=jpg&amp;ixid=M3wzMDAzMzh8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHw2Nnx8Y29ubmVjdGlvbnxlbnwwfHx8fDE3ODM0MTIwMzV8MA&amp;ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=80&amp;w=1080" length="0" type="image/jpeg"/><content:encoded><![CDATA[<div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img" target="_blank" href="https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1574740637579-9ca0a610e491?crop=entropy&amp;cs=tinysrgb&amp;fit=max&amp;fm=jpg&amp;ixid=M3wzMDAzMzh8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHw2Nnx8Y29ubmVjdGlvbnxlbnwwfHx8fDE3ODM0MTIwMzV8MA&amp;ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=80&amp;w=1080" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1574740637579-9ca0a610e491?crop=entropy&amp;cs=tinysrgb&amp;fit=max&amp;fm=jpg&amp;ixid=M3wzMDAzMzh8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHw2Nnx8Y29ubmVjdGlvbnxlbnwwfHx8fDE3ODM0MTIwMzV8MA&amp;ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=80&amp;w=1080 424w, https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1574740637579-9ca0a610e491?crop=entropy&amp;cs=tinysrgb&amp;fit=max&amp;fm=jpg&amp;ixid=M3wzMDAzMzh8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHw2Nnx8Y29ubmVjdGlvbnxlbnwwfHx8fDE3ODM0MTIwMzV8MA&amp;ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=80&amp;w=1080 848w, https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1574740637579-9ca0a610e491?crop=entropy&amp;cs=tinysrgb&amp;fit=max&amp;fm=jpg&amp;ixid=M3wzMDAzMzh8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHw2Nnx8Y29ubmVjdGlvbnxlbnwwfHx8fDE3ODM0MTIwMzV8MA&amp;ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=80&amp;w=1080 1272w, https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1574740637579-9ca0a610e491?crop=entropy&amp;cs=tinysrgb&amp;fit=max&amp;fm=jpg&amp;ixid=M3wzMDAzMzh8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHw2Nnx8Y29ubmVjdGlvbnxlbnwwfHx8fDE3ODM0MTIwMzV8MA&amp;ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=80&amp;w=1080 1456w" sizes="100vw"><img src="https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1574740637579-9ca0a610e491?crop=entropy&amp;cs=tinysrgb&amp;fit=max&amp;fm=jpg&amp;ixid=M3wzMDAzMzh8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHw2Nnx8Y29ubmVjdGlvbnxlbnwwfHx8fDE3ODM0MTIwMzV8MA&amp;ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=80&amp;w=1080" width="401" height="267.3333333333333" data-attrs="{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1574740637579-9ca0a610e491?crop=entropy&amp;cs=tinysrgb&amp;fit=max&amp;fm=jpg&amp;ixid=M3wzMDAzMzh8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHw2Nnx8Y29ubmVjdGlvbnxlbnwwfHx8fDE3ODM0MTIwMzV8MA&amp;ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=80&amp;w=1080&quot;,&quot;srcNoWatermark&quot;:null,&quot;fullscreen&quot;:null,&quot;imageSize&quot;:null,&quot;height&quot;:3648,&quot;width&quot;:5472,&quot;resizeWidth&quot;:401,&quot;bytes&quot;:null,&quot;alt&quot;:&quot;a couple holding hands while standing next to each other&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:null,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/jpg&quot;,&quot;href&quot;:null,&quot;belowTheFold&quot;:false,&quot;topImage&quot;:true,&quot;internalRedirect&quot;:null,&quot;isProcessing&quot;:false,&quot;align&quot;:null,&quot;offset&quot;:false}" class="sizing-normal" alt="a couple holding hands while standing next to each other" title="a couple holding hands while standing next to each other" srcset="https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1574740637579-9ca0a610e491?crop=entropy&amp;cs=tinysrgb&amp;fit=max&amp;fm=jpg&amp;ixid=M3wzMDAzMzh8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHw2Nnx8Y29ubmVjdGlvbnxlbnwwfHx8fDE3ODM0MTIwMzV8MA&amp;ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=80&amp;w=1080 424w, https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1574740637579-9ca0a610e491?crop=entropy&amp;cs=tinysrgb&amp;fit=max&amp;fm=jpg&amp;ixid=M3wzMDAzMzh8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHw2Nnx8Y29ubmVjdGlvbnxlbnwwfHx8fDE3ODM0MTIwMzV8MA&amp;ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=80&amp;w=1080 848w, 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&#127464;&#127462;</a> on <a href="https://unsplash.com">Unsplash</a></figcaption></figure></div><p>When a marriage is hurting, it&#8217;s easy to believe that connection is something you either have... or you don&#8217;t.</p><p>But connection isn&#8217;t usually a destination.</p><p>It&#8217;s a choice you make, again and again.</p><div class="callout-block" data-callout="true"><p>In this Compass Issue, we&#8217;ll explore one of the simplest (and most important) truths about healthy marriages: connection isn&#8217;t built by accident. It&#8217;s built through intentional choices made every day.</p></div>
      <p>
          <a href="https://theconnectioncompass.online/p/compass-issue-21-choose-connection">
              Read more
          </a>
      </p>
   ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title><![CDATA[Compass Issue #20 — Becoming the Partner You Want to Be]]></title><description><![CDATA[When people begin trying to save their marriage, they often focus on changing the relationship.]]></description><link>https://theconnectioncompass.online/p/compass-issue-20-becoming-the-partner</link><guid isPermaLink="false">https://theconnectioncompass.online/p/compass-issue-20-becoming-the-partner</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Lee H. Baucom, PhD]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Tue, 30 Jun 2026 13:01:59 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1574740637579-9ca0a610e491?crop=entropy&amp;cs=tinysrgb&amp;fit=max&amp;fm=jpg&amp;ixid=M3wzMDAzMzh8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHwxMHx8cGFydG5lcnxlbnwwfHx8fDE3ODI3NDQ3NjR8MA&amp;ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=80&amp;w=1080" length="0" type="image/jpeg"/><content:encoded><![CDATA[<div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img" target="_blank" href="https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1574740637579-9ca0a610e491?crop=entropy&amp;cs=tinysrgb&amp;fit=max&amp;fm=jpg&amp;ixid=M3wzMDAzMzh8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHwxMHx8cGFydG5lcnxlbnwwfHx8fDE3ODI3NDQ3NjR8MA&amp;ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=80&amp;w=1080" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" 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other&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:null,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/jpg&quot;,&quot;href&quot;:null,&quot;belowTheFold&quot;:false,&quot;topImage&quot;:true,&quot;internalRedirect&quot;:null,&quot;isProcessing&quot;:false,&quot;align&quot;:null,&quot;offset&quot;:false}" class="sizing-normal" alt="a couple holding hands while standing next to each other" title="a couple holding hands while standing next to each other" srcset="https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1574740637579-9ca0a610e491?crop=entropy&amp;cs=tinysrgb&amp;fit=max&amp;fm=jpg&amp;ixid=M3wzMDAzMzh8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHwxMHx8cGFydG5lcnxlbnwwfHx8fDE3ODI3NDQ3NjR8MA&amp;ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=80&amp;w=1080 424w, https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1574740637579-9ca0a610e491?crop=entropy&amp;cs=tinysrgb&amp;fit=max&amp;fm=jpg&amp;ixid=M3wzMDAzMzh8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHwxMHx8cGFydG5lcnxlbnwwfHx8fDE3ODI3NDQ3NjR8MA&amp;ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=80&amp;w=1080 848w, 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2.5 15.9537 4.46214 17.0852 7.23684L17.6179 8.67647M17.6179 8.67647L18.5002 4.26471M17.6179 8.67647L13.6473 6.91176M17.4995 12.1841C16.5378 15.2609 13.5967 17.5 10.1178 17.5C6.86118 17.5 4.07589 15.5379 2.94432 12.7632L2.41165 11.3235M2.41165 11.3235L1.5293 15.7353M2.41165 11.3235L6.38224 13.0882"></path></g></svg></button><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="2" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" class="lucide lucide-maximize2 lucide-maximize-2"><polyline points="15 3 21 3 21 9"></polyline><polyline points="9 21 3 21 3 15"></polyline><line x1="21" x2="14" y1="3" y2="10"></line><line x1="3" x2="10" y1="21" y2="14"></line></svg></button></div></div></div></a><figcaption class="image-caption">Photo by <a href="https://unsplash.com/@priscilladupreez">Priscilla Du Preez &#127464;&#127462;</a> on <a href="https://unsplash.com">Unsplash</a></figcaption></figure></div><p>When people begin trying to save their marriage, they often focus on changing the relationship.</p><p>Over time, something else begins to happen.</p><p>They begin changing themselves.</p><p>Not because they&#8217;re taking all the blame.</p><p>But because they&#8217;re becoming more intentional about the kind of partner they choose to be.</p><div class="callout-block" data-callout="true"><p>In this Compass Issue, we&#8217;ll step back and look at the bigger picture. You&#8217;ll discover why lasting change isn&#8217;t just about improving a marriage&#8212;it&#8217;s about becoming the person who consistently creates one.</p></div>
      <p>
          <a href="https://theconnectioncompass.online/p/compass-issue-20-becoming-the-partner">
              Read more
          </a>
      </p>
   ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title><![CDATA[Compass Issue #19 — Looking Forward Together]]></title><description><![CDATA[It&#8217;s difficult to build a better marriage if every conversation is about what has already happened.]]></description><link>https://theconnectioncompass.online/p/compass-issue-19-looking-forward</link><guid isPermaLink="false">https://theconnectioncompass.online/p/compass-issue-19-looking-forward</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Lee H. Baucom, PhD]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Fri, 26 Jun 2026 20:44:18 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1579208575657-c595a05383b7?crop=entropy&amp;cs=tinysrgb&amp;fit=max&amp;fm=jpg&amp;ixid=M3wzMDAzMzh8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHwxfHxzaGFyZXxlbnwwfHx8fDE3ODI1MDY0NzN8MA&amp;ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=80&amp;w=1080" length="0" type="image/jpeg"/><content:encoded><![CDATA[<div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img" target="_blank" href="https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1579208575657-c595a05383b7?crop=entropy&amp;cs=tinysrgb&amp;fit=max&amp;fm=jpg&amp;ixid=M3wzMDAzMzh8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHwxfHxzaGFyZXxlbnwwfHx8fDE3ODI1MDY0NzN8MA&amp;ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=80&amp;w=1080" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1579208575657-c595a05383b7?crop=entropy&amp;cs=tinysrgb&amp;fit=max&amp;fm=jpg&amp;ixid=M3wzMDAzMzh8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHwxfHxzaGFyZXxlbnwwfHx8fDE3ODI1MDY0NzN8MA&amp;ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=80&amp;w=1080 424w, https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1579208575657-c595a05383b7?crop=entropy&amp;cs=tinysrgb&amp;fit=max&amp;fm=jpg&amp;ixid=M3wzMDAzMzh8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHwxfHxzaGFyZXxlbnwwfHx8fDE3ODI1MDY0NzN8MA&amp;ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=80&amp;w=1080 848w, https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1579208575657-c595a05383b7?crop=entropy&amp;cs=tinysrgb&amp;fit=max&amp;fm=jpg&amp;ixid=M3wzMDAzMzh8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHwxfHxzaGFyZXxlbnwwfHx8fDE3ODI1MDY0NzN8MA&amp;ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=80&amp;w=1080 1272w, https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1579208575657-c595a05383b7?crop=entropy&amp;cs=tinysrgb&amp;fit=max&amp;fm=jpg&amp;ixid=M3wzMDAzMzh8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHwxfHxzaGFyZXxlbnwwfHx8fDE3ODI1MDY0NzN8MA&amp;ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=80&amp;w=1080 1456w" sizes="100vw"><img src="https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1579208575657-c595a05383b7?crop=entropy&amp;cs=tinysrgb&amp;fit=max&amp;fm=jpg&amp;ixid=M3wzMDAzMzh8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHwxfHxzaGFyZXxlbnwwfHx8fDE3ODI1MDY0NzN8MA&amp;ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=80&amp;w=1080" width="400" height="266.6666666666667" data-attrs="{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1579208575657-c595a05383b7?crop=entropy&amp;cs=tinysrgb&amp;fit=max&amp;fm=jpg&amp;ixid=M3wzMDAzMzh8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHwxfHxzaGFyZXxlbnwwfHx8fDE3ODI1MDY0NzN8MA&amp;ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=80&amp;w=1080&quot;,&quot;srcNoWatermark&quot;:null,&quot;fullscreen&quot;:null,&quot;imageSize&quot;:null,&quot;height&quot;:3712,&quot;width&quot;:5568,&quot;resizeWidth&quot;:400,&quot;bytes&quot;:null,&quot;alt&quot;:&quot;person reaching black heart cutout paper&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:null,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/jpg&quot;,&quot;href&quot;:null,&quot;belowTheFold&quot;:false,&quot;topImage&quot;:true,&quot;internalRedirect&quot;:null,&quot;isProcessing&quot;:false,&quot;align&quot;:null,&quot;offset&quot;:false}" class="sizing-normal" alt="person reaching black heart cutout paper" title="person reaching black heart cutout paper" srcset="https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1579208575657-c595a05383b7?crop=entropy&amp;cs=tinysrgb&amp;fit=max&amp;fm=jpg&amp;ixid=M3wzMDAzMzh8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHwxfHxzaGFyZXxlbnwwfHx8fDE3ODI1MDY0NzN8MA&amp;ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=80&amp;w=1080 424w, https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1579208575657-c595a05383b7?crop=entropy&amp;cs=tinysrgb&amp;fit=max&amp;fm=jpg&amp;ixid=M3wzMDAzMzh8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHwxfHxzaGFyZXxlbnwwfHx8fDE3ODI1MDY0NzN8MA&amp;ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=80&amp;w=1080 848w, https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1579208575657-c595a05383b7?crop=entropy&amp;cs=tinysrgb&amp;fit=max&amp;fm=jpg&amp;ixid=M3wzMDAzMzh8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHwxfHxzaGFyZXxlbnwwfHx8fDE3ODI1MDY0NzN8MA&amp;ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=80&amp;w=1080 1272w, https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1579208575657-c595a05383b7?crop=entropy&amp;cs=tinysrgb&amp;fit=max&amp;fm=jpg&amp;ixid=M3wzMDAzMzh8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHwxfHxzaGFyZXxlbnwwfHx8fDE3ODI1MDY0NzN8MA&amp;ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=80&amp;w=1080 1456w" sizes="100vw" fetchpriority="high"></picture><div class="image-link-expand"><div class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"><svg aria-hidden="true" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 20 20" fill="none" stroke-width="1.5" stroke="var(--color-fg-primary)" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><g><path d="M2.53001 7.81595C3.49179 4.73911 6.43281 2.5 9.91173 2.5C13.1684 2.5 15.9537 4.46214 17.0852 7.23684L17.6179 8.67647M17.6179 8.67647L18.5002 4.26471M17.6179 8.67647L13.6473 6.91176M17.4995 12.1841C16.5378 15.2609 13.5967 17.5 10.1178 17.5C6.86118 17.5 4.07589 15.5379 2.94432 12.7632L2.41165 11.3235M2.41165 11.3235L1.5293 15.7353M2.41165 11.3235L6.38224 13.0882"></path></g></svg></button><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="2" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" class="lucide lucide-maximize2 lucide-maximize-2"><polyline points="15 3 21 3 21 9"></polyline><polyline points="9 21 3 21 3 15"></polyline><line x1="21" x2="14" y1="3" y2="10"></line><line x1="3" x2="10" y1="21" y2="14"></line></svg></button></div></div></div></a><figcaption class="image-caption">Photo by <a href="https://unsplash.com/@kellysikkema">Kelly Sikkema</a> on <a href="https://unsplash.com">Unsplash</a></figcaption></figure></div><p>It&#8217;s difficult to build a better marriage if every conversation is about what has already happened.</p><p>Healthy marriages don&#8217;t ignore the past.</p><p>But they also aren&#8217;t trapped by it.</p><div class="callout-block" data-callout="true"><p>In this Compass Issue, you&#8217;ll learn why lasting change comes from intentionally creating a shared future, and how looking ahead together can gradually loosen the grip of past hurts.</p></div>
      <p>
          <a href="https://theconnectioncompass.online/p/compass-issue-19-looking-forward">
              Read more
          </a>
      </p>
   ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title><![CDATA[Compass Issue #18 — Becoming Teammates Again]]></title><description><![CDATA[One of the quietest changes in a struggling marriage is that couples stop feeling like they&#8217;re on the same side.]]></description><link>https://theconnectioncompass.online/p/compass-issue-18-becoming-teammates</link><guid isPermaLink="false">https://theconnectioncompass.online/p/compass-issue-18-becoming-teammates</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Lee H. Baucom, PhD]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Thu, 18 Jun 2026 13:03:00 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1598015132635-131afe3ba07f?crop=entropy&amp;cs=tinysrgb&amp;fit=max&amp;fm=jpg&amp;ixid=M3wzMDAzMzh8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHw1MHx8dGVhbXxlbnwwfHx8fDE3ODE3MTk2MTV8MA&amp;ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=80&amp;w=1080" length="0" type="image/jpeg"/><content:encoded><![CDATA[<div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img" target="_blank" href="https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1598015132635-131afe3ba07f?crop=entropy&amp;cs=tinysrgb&amp;fit=max&amp;fm=jpg&amp;ixid=M3wzMDAzMzh8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHw1MHx8dGVhbXxlbnwwfHx8fDE3ODE3MTk2MTV8MA&amp;ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=80&amp;w=1080" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1598015132635-131afe3ba07f?crop=entropy&amp;cs=tinysrgb&amp;fit=max&amp;fm=jpg&amp;ixid=M3wzMDAzMzh8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHw1MHx8dGVhbXxlbnwwfHx8fDE3ODE3MTk2MTV8MA&amp;ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=80&amp;w=1080 424w, https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1598015132635-131afe3ba07f?crop=entropy&amp;cs=tinysrgb&amp;fit=max&amp;fm=jpg&amp;ixid=M3wzMDAzMzh8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHw1MHx8dGVhbXxlbnwwfHx8fDE3ODE3MTk2MTV8MA&amp;ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=80&amp;w=1080 848w, https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1598015132635-131afe3ba07f?crop=entropy&amp;cs=tinysrgb&amp;fit=max&amp;fm=jpg&amp;ixid=M3wzMDAzMzh8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHw1MHx8dGVhbXxlbnwwfHx8fDE3ODE3MTk2MTV8MA&amp;ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=80&amp;w=1080 1272w, https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1598015132635-131afe3ba07f?crop=entropy&amp;cs=tinysrgb&amp;fit=max&amp;fm=jpg&amp;ixid=M3wzMDAzMzh8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHw1MHx8dGVhbXxlbnwwfHx8fDE3ODE3MTk2MTV8MA&amp;ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=80&amp;w=1080 1456w" sizes="100vw"><img src="https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1598015132635-131afe3ba07f?crop=entropy&amp;cs=tinysrgb&amp;fit=max&amp;fm=jpg&amp;ixid=M3wzMDAzMzh8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHw1MHx8dGVhbXxlbnwwfHx8fDE3ODE3MTk2MTV8MA&amp;ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=80&amp;w=1080" width="400" height="266.6666666666667" data-attrs="{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1598015132635-131afe3ba07f?crop=entropy&amp;cs=tinysrgb&amp;fit=max&amp;fm=jpg&amp;ixid=M3wzMDAzMzh8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHw1MHx8dGVhbXxlbnwwfHx8fDE3ODE3MTk2MTV8MA&amp;ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=80&amp;w=1080&quot;,&quot;srcNoWatermark&quot;:null,&quot;fullscreen&quot;:null,&quot;imageSize&quot;:null,&quot;height&quot;:4000,&quot;width&quot;:6000,&quot;resizeWidth&quot;:400,&quot;bytes&quot;:null,&quot;alt&quot;:&quot;black and brown checkered textile&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:null,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/jpg&quot;,&quot;href&quot;:null,&quot;belowTheFold&quot;:false,&quot;topImage&quot;:true,&quot;internalRedirect&quot;:null,&quot;isProcessing&quot;:false,&quot;align&quot;:null,&quot;offset&quot;:false}" class="sizing-normal" alt="black and brown checkered textile" title="black and brown checkered textile" srcset="https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1598015132635-131afe3ba07f?crop=entropy&amp;cs=tinysrgb&amp;fit=max&amp;fm=jpg&amp;ixid=M3wzMDAzMzh8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHw1MHx8dGVhbXxlbnwwfHx8fDE3ODE3MTk2MTV8MA&amp;ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=80&amp;w=1080 424w, https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1598015132635-131afe3ba07f?crop=entropy&amp;cs=tinysrgb&amp;fit=max&amp;fm=jpg&amp;ixid=M3wzMDAzMzh8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHw1MHx8dGVhbXxlbnwwfHx8fDE3ODE3MTk2MTV8MA&amp;ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=80&amp;w=1080 848w, https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1598015132635-131afe3ba07f?crop=entropy&amp;cs=tinysrgb&amp;fit=max&amp;fm=jpg&amp;ixid=M3wzMDAzMzh8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHw1MHx8dGVhbXxlbnwwfHx8fDE3ODE3MTk2MTV8MA&amp;ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=80&amp;w=1080 1272w, https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1598015132635-131afe3ba07f?crop=entropy&amp;cs=tinysrgb&amp;fit=max&amp;fm=jpg&amp;ixid=M3wzMDAzMzh8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHw1MHx8dGVhbXxlbnwwfHx8fDE3ODE3MTk2MTV8MA&amp;ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=80&amp;w=1080 1456w" sizes="100vw" fetchpriority="high"></picture><div class="image-link-expand"><div class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"><svg aria-hidden="true" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 20 20" fill="none" stroke-width="1.5" stroke="var(--color-fg-primary)" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><g><path d="M2.53001 7.81595C3.49179 4.73911 6.43281 2.5 9.91173 2.5C13.1684 2.5 15.9537 4.46214 17.0852 7.23684L17.6179 8.67647M17.6179 8.67647L18.5002 4.26471M17.6179 8.67647L13.6473 6.91176M17.4995 12.1841C16.5378 15.2609 13.5967 17.5 10.1178 17.5C6.86118 17.5 4.07589 15.5379 2.94432 12.7632L2.41165 11.3235M2.41165 11.3235L1.5293 15.7353M2.41165 11.3235L6.38224 13.0882"></path></g></svg></button><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="2" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" class="lucide lucide-maximize2 lucide-maximize-2"><polyline points="15 3 21 3 21 9"></polyline><polyline points="9 21 3 21 3 15"></polyline><line x1="21" x2="14" y1="3" y2="10"></line><line x1="3" x2="10" y1="21" y2="14"></line></svg></button></div></div></div></a><figcaption class="image-caption">Photo by <a href="https://unsplash.com/@jannerboy62">Nick Fewings</a> on <a href="https://unsplash.com">Unsplash</a></figcaption></figure></div><p>One of the quietest changes in a struggling marriage is that couples stop feeling like they&#8217;re on the same side.</p><p>The relationship becomes about managing problems instead of pursuing life together.</p><div class="callout-block" data-callout="true"><p>In this Compass Issue, you&#8217;ll learn why strong marriages are built on partnership &#8212; and how small shifts can help rebuild the feeling that you and your spouse are working together instead of simply coexisting.</p></div>
      <p>
          <a href="https://theconnectioncompass.online/p/compass-issue-18-becoming-teammates">
              Read more
          </a>
      </p>
   ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title><![CDATA[Compass Issue #17 — Protecting Your Marriage From Drift]]></title><description><![CDATA[Most marriages don&#8217;t fall apart because of one dramatic event.]]></description><link>https://theconnectioncompass.online/p/compass-issue-17-protecting-your</link><guid isPermaLink="false">https://theconnectioncompass.online/p/compass-issue-17-protecting-your</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Lee H. Baucom, PhD]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Thu, 11 Jun 2026 13:02:56 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1527287993547-b5d3ad9ca875?crop=entropy&amp;cs=tinysrgb&amp;fit=max&amp;fm=jpg&amp;ixid=M3wzMDAzMzh8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHw0fHxkcmlmdGluZyUyMGJvYXR8ZW58MHx8fHwxNzgwMzM1Njg3fDA&amp;ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=80&amp;w=1080" length="0" type="image/jpeg"/><content:encoded><![CDATA[<div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img" target="_blank" href="https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1527287993547-b5d3ad9ca875?crop=entropy&amp;cs=tinysrgb&amp;fit=max&amp;fm=jpg&amp;ixid=M3wzMDAzMzh8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHw0fHxkcmlmdGluZyUyMGJvYXR8ZW58MHx8fHwxNzgwMzM1Njg3fDA&amp;ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=80&amp;w=1080" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1527287993547-b5d3ad9ca875?crop=entropy&amp;cs=tinysrgb&amp;fit=max&amp;fm=jpg&amp;ixid=M3wzMDAzMzh8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHw0fHxkcmlmdGluZyUyMGJvYXR8ZW58MHx8fHwxNzgwMzM1Njg3fDA&amp;ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=80&amp;w=1080 424w, https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1527287993547-b5d3ad9ca875?crop=entropy&amp;cs=tinysrgb&amp;fit=max&amp;fm=jpg&amp;ixid=M3wzMDAzMzh8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHw0fHxkcmlmdGluZyUyMGJvYXR8ZW58MHx8fHwxNzgwMzM1Njg3fDA&amp;ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=80&amp;w=1080 848w, https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1527287993547-b5d3ad9ca875?crop=entropy&amp;cs=tinysrgb&amp;fit=max&amp;fm=jpg&amp;ixid=M3wzMDAzMzh8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHw0fHxkcmlmdGluZyUyMGJvYXR8ZW58MHx8fHwxNzgwMzM1Njg3fDA&amp;ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=80&amp;w=1080 1272w, https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1527287993547-b5d3ad9ca875?crop=entropy&amp;cs=tinysrgb&amp;fit=max&amp;fm=jpg&amp;ixid=M3wzMDAzMzh8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHw0fHxkcmlmdGluZyUyMGJvYXR8ZW58MHx8fHwxNzgwMzM1Njg3fDA&amp;ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=80&amp;w=1080 1456w" sizes="100vw"><img src="https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1527287993547-b5d3ad9ca875?crop=entropy&amp;cs=tinysrgb&amp;fit=max&amp;fm=jpg&amp;ixid=M3wzMDAzMzh8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHw0fHxkcmlmdGluZyUyMGJvYXR8ZW58MHx8fHwxNzgwMzM1Njg3fDA&amp;ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=80&amp;w=1080" width="399" height="252.5911359552805" data-attrs="{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1527287993547-b5d3ad9ca875?crop=entropy&amp;cs=tinysrgb&amp;fit=max&amp;fm=jpg&amp;ixid=M3wzMDAzMzh8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHw0fHxkcmlmdGluZyUyMGJvYXR8ZW58MHx8fHwxNzgwMzM1Njg3fDA&amp;ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=80&amp;w=1080&quot;,&quot;srcNoWatermark&quot;:null,&quot;fullscreen&quot;:null,&quot;imageSize&quot;:null,&quot;height&quot;:3171,&quot;width&quot;:5009,&quot;resizeWidth&quot;:399,&quot;bytes&quot;:null,&quot;alt&quot;:&quot;empty brown boat on body of water&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:null,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/jpg&quot;,&quot;href&quot;:null,&quot;belowTheFold&quot;:false,&quot;topImage&quot;:true,&quot;internalRedirect&quot;:null,&quot;isProcessing&quot;:false,&quot;align&quot;:null,&quot;offset&quot;:false}" class="sizing-normal" alt="empty brown boat on body of water" title="empty brown boat on body of water" srcset="https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1527287993547-b5d3ad9ca875?crop=entropy&amp;cs=tinysrgb&amp;fit=max&amp;fm=jpg&amp;ixid=M3wzMDAzMzh8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHw0fHxkcmlmdGluZyUyMGJvYXR8ZW58MHx8fHwxNzgwMzM1Njg3fDA&amp;ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=80&amp;w=1080 424w, https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1527287993547-b5d3ad9ca875?crop=entropy&amp;cs=tinysrgb&amp;fit=max&amp;fm=jpg&amp;ixid=M3wzMDAzMzh8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHw0fHxkcmlmdGluZyUyMGJvYXR8ZW58MHx8fHwxNzgwMzM1Njg3fDA&amp;ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=80&amp;w=1080 848w, https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1527287993547-b5d3ad9ca875?crop=entropy&amp;cs=tinysrgb&amp;fit=max&amp;fm=jpg&amp;ixid=M3wzMDAzMzh8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHw0fHxkcmlmdGluZyUyMGJvYXR8ZW58MHx8fHwxNzgwMzM1Njg3fDA&amp;ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=80&amp;w=1080 1272w, https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1527287993547-b5d3ad9ca875?crop=entropy&amp;cs=tinysrgb&amp;fit=max&amp;fm=jpg&amp;ixid=M3wzMDAzMzh8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHw0fHxkcmlmdGluZyUyMGJvYXR8ZW58MHx8fHwxNzgwMzM1Njg3fDA&amp;ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=80&amp;w=1080 1456w" sizes="100vw" fetchpriority="high"></picture><div class="image-link-expand"><div class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"><svg aria-hidden="true" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 20 20" fill="none" stroke-width="1.5" stroke="var(--color-fg-primary)" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><g><path d="M2.53001 7.81595C3.49179 4.73911 6.43281 2.5 9.91173 2.5C13.1684 2.5 15.9537 4.46214 17.0852 7.23684L17.6179 8.67647M17.6179 8.67647L18.5002 4.26471M17.6179 8.67647L13.6473 6.91176M17.4995 12.1841C16.5378 15.2609 13.5967 17.5 10.1178 17.5C6.86118 17.5 4.07589 15.5379 2.94432 12.7632L2.41165 11.3235M2.41165 11.3235L1.5293 15.7353M2.41165 11.3235L6.38224 13.0882"></path></g></svg></button><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="2" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" class="lucide lucide-maximize2 lucide-maximize-2"><polyline points="15 3 21 3 21 9"></polyline><polyline points="9 21 3 21 3 15"></polyline><line x1="21" x2="14" y1="3" y2="10"></line><line x1="3" x2="10" y1="21" y2="14"></line></svg></button></div></div></div></a><figcaption class="image-caption">Photo by <a href="https://unsplash.com/@zoltantasi">Zoltan Tasi</a> on <a href="https://unsplash.com">Unsplash</a></figcaption></figure></div><p>Most marriages don&#8217;t fall apart because of one dramatic event.</p><p>More often, they drift apart gradually.</p><p>Not through a crisis.</p><p>Through neglect.</p><div class="callout-block" data-callout="true"><p>In this Compass Issue, you&#8217;ll learn why healthy marriages require intentional attention &#8212; and how a few small habits can help prevent the slow drift that often creates distance over time.</p></div>
      <p>
          <a href="https://theconnectioncompass.online/p/compass-issue-17-protecting-your">
              Read more
          </a>
      </p>
   ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title><![CDATA[Compass Issue #16 — Creating New Relationship Patterns]]></title><description><![CDATA[Many marriages don&#8217;t struggle because of one big mistake.]]></description><link>https://theconnectioncompass.online/p/compass-issue-16-creating-new-relationship</link><guid isPermaLink="false">https://theconnectioncompass.online/p/compass-issue-16-creating-new-relationship</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Lee H. Baucom, PhD]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Thu, 04 Jun 2026 13:03:19 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1632494425431-e8b9bc198390?crop=entropy&amp;cs=tinysrgb&amp;fit=max&amp;fm=jpg&amp;ixid=M3wzMDAzMzh8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHwzM3x8cGF0dGVybnxlbnwwfHx8fDE3ODAzMzUwMDl8MA&amp;ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=80&amp;w=1080" length="0" type="image/jpeg"/><content:encoded><![CDATA[<div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img" target="_blank" href="https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1632494425431-e8b9bc198390?crop=entropy&amp;cs=tinysrgb&amp;fit=max&amp;fm=jpg&amp;ixid=M3wzMDAzMzh8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHwzM3x8cGF0dGVybnxlbnwwfHx8fDE3ODAzMzUwMDl8MA&amp;ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=80&amp;w=1080" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1632494425431-e8b9bc198390?crop=entropy&amp;cs=tinysrgb&amp;fit=max&amp;fm=jpg&amp;ixid=M3wzMDAzMzh8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHwzM3x8cGF0dGVybnxlbnwwfHx8fDE3ODAzMzUwMDl8MA&amp;ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=80&amp;w=1080 424w, https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1632494425431-e8b9bc198390?crop=entropy&amp;cs=tinysrgb&amp;fit=max&amp;fm=jpg&amp;ixid=M3wzMDAzMzh8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHwzM3x8cGF0dGVybnxlbnwwfHx8fDE3ODAzMzUwMDl8MA&amp;ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=80&amp;w=1080 848w, https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1632494425431-e8b9bc198390?crop=entropy&amp;cs=tinysrgb&amp;fit=max&amp;fm=jpg&amp;ixid=M3wzMDAzMzh8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHwzM3x8cGF0dGVybnxlbnwwfHx8fDE3ODAzMzUwMDl8MA&amp;ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=80&amp;w=1080 1272w, https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1632494425431-e8b9bc198390?crop=entropy&amp;cs=tinysrgb&amp;fit=max&amp;fm=jpg&amp;ixid=M3wzMDAzMzh8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHwzM3x8cGF0dGVybnxlbnwwfHx8fDE3ODAzMzUwMDl8MA&amp;ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=80&amp;w=1080 1456w" sizes="100vw"><img src="https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1632494425431-e8b9bc198390?crop=entropy&amp;cs=tinysrgb&amp;fit=max&amp;fm=jpg&amp;ixid=M3wzMDAzMzh8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHwzM3x8cGF0dGVybnxlbnwwfHx8fDE3ODAzMzUwMDl8MA&amp;ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=80&amp;w=1080" width="397" height="264.6666666666667" data-attrs="{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1632494425431-e8b9bc198390?crop=entropy&amp;cs=tinysrgb&amp;fit=max&amp;fm=jpg&amp;ixid=M3wzMDAzMzh8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHwzM3x8cGF0dGVybnxlbnwwfHx8fDE3ODAzMzUwMDl8MA&amp;ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=80&amp;w=1080&quot;,&quot;srcNoWatermark&quot;:null,&quot;fullscreen&quot;:null,&quot;imageSize&quot;:null,&quot;height&quot;:4000,&quot;width&quot;:6000,&quot;resizeWidth&quot;:397,&quot;bytes&quot;:null,&quot;alt&quot;:&quot;a red and black background with wavy lines&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:null,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/jpg&quot;,&quot;href&quot;:null,&quot;belowTheFold&quot;:false,&quot;topImage&quot;:true,&quot;internalRedirect&quot;:null,&quot;isProcessing&quot;:false,&quot;align&quot;:null,&quot;offset&quot;:false}" class="sizing-normal" alt="a red and black background with wavy lines" title="a red and black background with wavy lines" srcset="https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1632494425431-e8b9bc198390?crop=entropy&amp;cs=tinysrgb&amp;fit=max&amp;fm=jpg&amp;ixid=M3wzMDAzMzh8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHwzM3x8cGF0dGVybnxlbnwwfHx8fDE3ODAzMzUwMDl8MA&amp;ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=80&amp;w=1080 424w, https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1632494425431-e8b9bc198390?crop=entropy&amp;cs=tinysrgb&amp;fit=max&amp;fm=jpg&amp;ixid=M3wzMDAzMzh8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHwzM3x8cGF0dGVybnxlbnwwfHx8fDE3ODAzMzUwMDl8MA&amp;ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=80&amp;w=1080 848w, https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1632494425431-e8b9bc198390?crop=entropy&amp;cs=tinysrgb&amp;fit=max&amp;fm=jpg&amp;ixid=M3wzMDAzMzh8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHwzM3x8cGF0dGVybnxlbnwwfHx8fDE3ODAzMzUwMDl8MA&amp;ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=80&amp;w=1080 1272w, https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1632494425431-e8b9bc198390?crop=entropy&amp;cs=tinysrgb&amp;fit=max&amp;fm=jpg&amp;ixid=M3wzMDAzMzh8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHwzM3x8cGF0dGVybnxlbnwwfHx8fDE3ODAzMzUwMDl8MA&amp;ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=80&amp;w=1080 1456w" sizes="100vw" fetchpriority="high"></picture><div class="image-link-expand"><div class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"><svg aria-hidden="true" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 20 20" fill="none" stroke-width="1.5" stroke="var(--color-fg-primary)" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><g><path d="M2.53001 7.81595C3.49179 4.73911 6.43281 2.5 9.91173 2.5C13.1684 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href="https://unsplash.com">Unsplash</a></figcaption></figure></div><p>Many marriages don&#8217;t struggle because of one big mistake.</p><p>They struggle because of small patterns that repeat over and over.</p><p>The good news?</p><p>New patterns can be created the same way.</p><div class="callout-block" data-callout="true"><p>In this Compass Issue, you&#8217;ll learn why lasting change depends on creating new relationship patterns&#8230; and how small, consistent shifts can gradually replace habits that no longer serve your marriage.</p></div>
      <p>
          <a href="https://theconnectioncompass.online/p/compass-issue-16-creating-new-relationship">
              Read more
          </a>
      </p>
   ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title><![CDATA[Compass Issue #15 — Rebuilding Hope]]></title><description><![CDATA[There&#8217;s a point in trying to save a marriage where the issue isn&#8217;t effort anymore.]]></description><link>https://theconnectioncompass.online/p/compass-issue-15-rebuilding-hope</link><guid isPermaLink="false">https://theconnectioncompass.online/p/compass-issue-15-rebuilding-hope</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Lee H. Baucom, PhD]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Thu, 28 May 2026 13:03:12 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1517960413843-0aee8e2b3285?crop=entropy&amp;cs=tinysrgb&amp;fit=max&amp;fm=jpg&amp;ixid=M3wzMDAzMzh8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHwyNXx8aG9wZXxlbnwwfHx8fDE3NzkwODA2NTN8MA&amp;ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=80&amp;w=1080" length="0" type="image/jpeg"/><content:encoded><![CDATA[<div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img" target="_blank" href="https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1517960413843-0aee8e2b3285?crop=entropy&amp;cs=tinysrgb&amp;fit=max&amp;fm=jpg&amp;ixid=M3wzMDAzMzh8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHwyNXx8aG9wZXxlbnwwfHx8fDE3NzkwODA2NTN8MA&amp;ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=80&amp;w=1080" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" 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src="https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1517960413843-0aee8e2b3285?crop=entropy&amp;cs=tinysrgb&amp;fit=max&amp;fm=jpg&amp;ixid=M3wzMDAzMzh8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHwyNXx8aG9wZXxlbnwwfHx8fDE3NzkwODA2NTN8MA&amp;ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=80&amp;w=1080" width="399" height="257.6875" data-attrs="{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1517960413843-0aee8e2b3285?crop=entropy&amp;cs=tinysrgb&amp;fit=max&amp;fm=jpg&amp;ixid=M3wzMDAzMzh8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHwyNXx8aG9wZXxlbnwwfHx8fDE3NzkwODA2NTN8MA&amp;ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=80&amp;w=1080&quot;,&quot;srcNoWatermark&quot;:null,&quot;fullscreen&quot;:null,&quot;imageSize&quot;:null,&quot;height&quot;:3348,&quot;width&quot;:5184,&quot;resizeWidth&quot;:399,&quot;bytes&quot;:null,&quot;alt&quot;:&quot;photo of silhouette photo of man standing on rock&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:null,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/jpg&quot;,&quot;href&quot;:null,&quot;belowTheFold&quot;:false,&quot;topImage&quot;:true,&quot;internalRedirect&quot;:null,&quot;isProcessing&quot;:false,&quot;align&quot;:null,&quot;offset&quot;:false}" class="sizing-normal" alt="photo of silhouette photo of man standing on rock" title="photo of silhouette photo of man standing on rock" srcset="https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1517960413843-0aee8e2b3285?crop=entropy&amp;cs=tinysrgb&amp;fit=max&amp;fm=jpg&amp;ixid=M3wzMDAzMzh8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHwyNXx8aG9wZXxlbnwwfHx8fDE3NzkwODA2NTN8MA&amp;ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=80&amp;w=1080 424w, https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1517960413843-0aee8e2b3285?crop=entropy&amp;cs=tinysrgb&amp;fit=max&amp;fm=jpg&amp;ixid=M3wzMDAzMzh8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHwyNXx8aG9wZXxlbnwwfHx8fDE3NzkwODA2NTN8MA&amp;ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=80&amp;w=1080 848w, https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1517960413843-0aee8e2b3285?crop=entropy&amp;cs=tinysrgb&amp;fit=max&amp;fm=jpg&amp;ixid=M3wzMDAzMzh8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHwyNXx8aG9wZXxlbnwwfHx8fDE3NzkwODA2NTN8MA&amp;ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=80&amp;w=1080 1272w, https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1517960413843-0aee8e2b3285?crop=entropy&amp;cs=tinysrgb&amp;fit=max&amp;fm=jpg&amp;ixid=M3wzMDAzMzh8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHwyNXx8aG9wZXxlbnwwfHx8fDE3NzkwODA2NTN8MA&amp;ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=80&amp;w=1080 1456w" sizes="100vw" fetchpriority="high"></picture><div class="image-link-expand"><div class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"><svg aria-hidden="true" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 20 20" fill="none" stroke-width="1.5" stroke="var(--color-fg-primary)" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><g><path d="M2.53001 7.81595C3.49179 4.73911 6.43281 2.5 9.91173 2.5C13.1684 2.5 15.9537 4.46214 17.0852 7.23684L17.6179 8.67647M17.6179 8.67647L18.5002 4.26471M17.6179 8.67647L13.6473 6.91176M17.4995 12.1841C16.5378 15.2609 13.5967 17.5 10.1178 17.5C6.86118 17.5 4.07589 15.5379 2.94432 12.7632L2.41165 11.3235M2.41165 11.3235L1.5293 15.7353M2.41165 11.3235L6.38224 13.0882"></path></g></svg></button><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="2" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" class="lucide lucide-maximize2 lucide-maximize-2"><polyline points="15 3 21 3 21 9"></polyline><polyline points="9 21 3 21 3 15"></polyline><line x1="21" x2="14" y1="3" y2="10"></line><line x1="3" x2="10" y1="21" y2="14"></line></svg></button></div></div></div></a><figcaption class="image-caption">Photo by <a href="https://unsplash.com/@acharki95">Aziz Acharki</a> on <a href="https://unsplash.com">Unsplash</a></figcaption></figure></div><p>There&#8217;s a point in trying to save a marriage where the issue isn&#8217;t effort anymore.</p><p><strong>It&#8217;s hope.</strong></p><p>You&#8217;ve tried. You&#8217;ve learned. You&#8217;ve made changes.</p><p>You&#8217;ve read, listened, reflected&#8230; maybe even changed how you show up in ways your spouse hasn&#8217;t noticed &#8212; or hasn&#8217;t responded to.</p><p>And somewhere along the way, a quieter question has started to surface:</p><p><em>Is this actually going anywhere?</em></p><p>Not because you&#8217;ve stopped caring.</p><p>But because it&#8217;s hard to keep investing energy into something when the outcome still feels uncertain.</p><p>This is often the point where people either begin to move forward again&#8230;</p><p>or quietly begin to shut down.</p><p>In this Compass Issue, we&#8217;ll look at why hope often fades at this stage, and how to rebuild it in a way that&#8217;s grounded, realistic, and sustainable.</p><p>I&#8217;ll also share a resource I normally offer separately ($19) to help people regain clarity and direction when they feel stuck.</p>
      <p>
          <a href="https://theconnectioncompass.online/p/compass-issue-15-rebuilding-hope">
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      </p>
   ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title><![CDATA[Compass Issue #14 — Rebuilding Trust Slowly]]></title><description><![CDATA[When trust has been strained, many people look for a moment where it suddenly feels restored.]]></description><link>https://theconnectioncompass.online/p/compass-issue-14-rebuilding-trust</link><guid isPermaLink="false">https://theconnectioncompass.online/p/compass-issue-14-rebuilding-trust</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Lee H. Baucom, PhD]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Thu, 21 May 2026 13:02:31 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1565928473579-682724ce9a2e?crop=entropy&amp;cs=tinysrgb&amp;fit=max&amp;fm=jpg&amp;ixid=M3wzMDAzMzh8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHwzMHx8c2xvd3xlbnwwfHx8fDE3NzczOTA1NTB8MA&amp;ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=80&amp;w=1080" length="0" type="image/jpeg"/><content:encoded><![CDATA[<div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img" target="_blank" href="https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1565928473579-682724ce9a2e?crop=entropy&amp;cs=tinysrgb&amp;fit=max&amp;fm=jpg&amp;ixid=M3wzMDAzMzh8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHwzMHx8c2xvd3xlbnwwfHx8fDE3NzczOTA1NTB8MA&amp;ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=80&amp;w=1080" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1565928473579-682724ce9a2e?crop=entropy&amp;cs=tinysrgb&amp;fit=max&amp;fm=jpg&amp;ixid=M3wzMDAzMzh8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHwzMHx8c2xvd3xlbnwwfHx8fDE3NzczOTA1NTB8MA&amp;ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=80&amp;w=1080 424w, https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1565928473579-682724ce9a2e?crop=entropy&amp;cs=tinysrgb&amp;fit=max&amp;fm=jpg&amp;ixid=M3wzMDAzMzh8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHwzMHx8c2xvd3xlbnwwfHx8fDE3NzczOTA1NTB8MA&amp;ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=80&amp;w=1080 848w, https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1565928473579-682724ce9a2e?crop=entropy&amp;cs=tinysrgb&amp;fit=max&amp;fm=jpg&amp;ixid=M3wzMDAzMzh8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHwzMHx8c2xvd3xlbnwwfHx8fDE3NzczOTA1NTB8MA&amp;ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=80&amp;w=1080 1272w, https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1565928473579-682724ce9a2e?crop=entropy&amp;cs=tinysrgb&amp;fit=max&amp;fm=jpg&amp;ixid=M3wzMDAzMzh8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHwzMHx8c2xvd3xlbnwwfHx8fDE3NzczOTA1NTB8MA&amp;ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=80&amp;w=1080 1456w" sizes="100vw"><img src="https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1565928473579-682724ce9a2e?crop=entropy&amp;cs=tinysrgb&amp;fit=max&amp;fm=jpg&amp;ixid=M3wzMDAzMzh8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHwzMHx8c2xvd3xlbnwwfHx8fDE3NzczOTA1NTB8MA&amp;ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=80&amp;w=1080" width="398" height="263.84984025559106" data-attrs="{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1565928473579-682724ce9a2e?crop=entropy&amp;cs=tinysrgb&amp;fit=max&amp;fm=jpg&amp;ixid=M3wzMDAzMzh8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHwzMHx8c2xvd3xlbnwwfHx8fDE3NzczOTA1NTB8MA&amp;ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=80&amp;w=1080&quot;,&quot;srcNoWatermark&quot;:null,&quot;fullscreen&quot;:null,&quot;imageSize&quot;:null,&quot;height&quot;:2075,&quot;width&quot;:3130,&quot;resizeWidth&quot;:398,&quot;bytes&quot;:null,&quot;alt&quot;:&quot;a person riding a skateboard on a city street&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:null,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/jpg&quot;,&quot;href&quot;:null,&quot;belowTheFold&quot;:false,&quot;topImage&quot;:true,&quot;internalRedirect&quot;:null,&quot;isProcessing&quot;:false,&quot;align&quot;:null,&quot;offset&quot;:false}" class="sizing-normal" alt="a person riding a skateboard on a city street" title="a person riding a skateboard on a city street" srcset="https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1565928473579-682724ce9a2e?crop=entropy&amp;cs=tinysrgb&amp;fit=max&amp;fm=jpg&amp;ixid=M3wzMDAzMzh8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHwzMHx8c2xvd3xlbnwwfHx8fDE3NzczOTA1NTB8MA&amp;ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=80&amp;w=1080 424w, https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1565928473579-682724ce9a2e?crop=entropy&amp;cs=tinysrgb&amp;fit=max&amp;fm=jpg&amp;ixid=M3wzMDAzMzh8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHwzMHx8c2xvd3xlbnwwfHx8fDE3NzczOTA1NTB8MA&amp;ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=80&amp;w=1080 848w, https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1565928473579-682724ce9a2e?crop=entropy&amp;cs=tinysrgb&amp;fit=max&amp;fm=jpg&amp;ixid=M3wzMDAzMzh8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHwzMHx8c2xvd3xlbnwwfHx8fDE3NzczOTA1NTB8MA&amp;ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=80&amp;w=1080 1272w, https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1565928473579-682724ce9a2e?crop=entropy&amp;cs=tinysrgb&amp;fit=max&amp;fm=jpg&amp;ixid=M3wzMDAzMzh8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHwzMHx8c2xvd3xlbnwwfHx8fDE3NzczOTA1NTB8MA&amp;ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=80&amp;w=1080 1456w" sizes="100vw" fetchpriority="high"></picture><div class="image-link-expand"><div class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"><svg aria-hidden="true" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 20 20" fill="none" stroke-width="1.5" stroke="var(--color-fg-primary)" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><g><path d="M2.53001 7.81595C3.49179 4.73911 6.43281 2.5 9.91173 2.5C13.1684 2.5 15.9537 4.46214 17.0852 7.23684L17.6179 8.67647M17.6179 8.67647L18.5002 4.26471M17.6179 8.67647L13.6473 6.91176M17.4995 12.1841C16.5378 15.2609 13.5967 17.5 10.1178 17.5C6.86118 17.5 4.07589 15.5379 2.94432 12.7632L2.41165 11.3235M2.41165 11.3235L1.5293 15.7353M2.41165 11.3235L6.38224 13.0882"></path></g></svg></button><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="2" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" class="lucide lucide-maximize2 lucide-maximize-2"><polyline points="15 3 21 3 21 9"></polyline><polyline points="9 21 3 21 3 15"></polyline><line x1="21" x2="14" y1="3" y2="10"></line><line x1="3" x2="10" y1="21" y2="14"></line></svg></button></div></div></div></a><figcaption class="image-caption">Photo by <a href="https://unsplash.com/@kirklai">Lai Man Nung</a> on <a href="https://unsplash.com">Unsplash</a></figcaption></figure></div><p>When trust has been strained, many people look for a moment where it suddenly feels restored.</p><p>But trust rarely returns all at once.</p><p>It usually rebuilds quietly, over time.</p><div class="callout-block" data-callout="true"><p>In this Compass Issue, you&#8217;ll learn why trust is rebuilt gradually through consistent experience &#8212; and how small, steady actions can begin restoring confidence in the relationship.</p></div>
      <p>
          <a href="https://theconnectioncompass.online/p/compass-issue-14-rebuilding-trust">
              Read more
          </a>
      </p>
   ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title><![CDATA[Compass Issue #13 — Conflict Without Escalation]]></title><description><![CDATA[Conflict isn&#8217;t the problem most couples think it is.]]></description><link>https://theconnectioncompass.online/p/compass-issue-13-conflict-without</link><guid isPermaLink="false">https://theconnectioncompass.online/p/compass-issue-13-conflict-without</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Lee H. Baucom, PhD]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Thu, 14 May 2026 13:02:01 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1653359092732-acd69a5a4e8a?crop=entropy&amp;cs=tinysrgb&amp;fit=max&amp;fm=jpg&amp;ixid=M3wzMDAzMzh8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHw0MXx8Y2FsbSUyMHRhbGt8ZW58MHx8fHwxNzc3MzkwMDgwfDA&amp;ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=80&amp;w=1080" length="0" type="image/jpeg"/><content:encoded><![CDATA[<div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img" target="_blank" href="https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1653359092732-acd69a5a4e8a?crop=entropy&amp;cs=tinysrgb&amp;fit=max&amp;fm=jpg&amp;ixid=M3wzMDAzMzh8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHw0MXx8Y2FsbSUyMHRhbGt8ZW58MHx8fHwxNzc3MzkwMDgwfDA&amp;ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=80&amp;w=1080" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1653359092732-acd69a5a4e8a?crop=entropy&amp;cs=tinysrgb&amp;fit=max&amp;fm=jpg&amp;ixid=M3wzMDAzMzh8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHw0MXx8Y2FsbSUyMHRhbGt8ZW58MHx8fHwxNzc3MzkwMDgwfDA&amp;ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=80&amp;w=1080 424w, https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1653359092732-acd69a5a4e8a?crop=entropy&amp;cs=tinysrgb&amp;fit=max&amp;fm=jpg&amp;ixid=M3wzMDAzMzh8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHw0MXx8Y2FsbSUyMHRhbGt8ZW58MHx8fHwxNzc3MzkwMDgwfDA&amp;ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=80&amp;w=1080 848w, https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1653359092732-acd69a5a4e8a?crop=entropy&amp;cs=tinysrgb&amp;fit=max&amp;fm=jpg&amp;ixid=M3wzMDAzMzh8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHw0MXx8Y2FsbSUyMHRhbGt8ZW58MHx8fHwxNzc3MzkwMDgwfDA&amp;ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=80&amp;w=1080 1272w, https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1653359092732-acd69a5a4e8a?crop=entropy&amp;cs=tinysrgb&amp;fit=max&amp;fm=jpg&amp;ixid=M3wzMDAzMzh8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHw0MXx8Y2FsbSUyMHRhbGt8ZW58MHx8fHwxNzc3MzkwMDgwfDA&amp;ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=80&amp;w=1080 1456w" sizes="100vw"><img src="https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1653359092732-acd69a5a4e8a?crop=entropy&amp;cs=tinysrgb&amp;fit=max&amp;fm=jpg&amp;ixid=M3wzMDAzMzh8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHw0MXx8Y2FsbSUyMHRhbGt8ZW58MHx8fHwxNzc3MzkwMDgwfDA&amp;ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=80&amp;w=1080" width="398" height="265.3333333333333" data-attrs="{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1653359092732-acd69a5a4e8a?crop=entropy&amp;cs=tinysrgb&amp;fit=max&amp;fm=jpg&amp;ixid=M3wzMDAzMzh8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHw0MXx8Y2FsbSUyMHRhbGt8ZW58MHx8fHwxNzc3MzkwMDgwfDA&amp;ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=80&amp;w=1080&quot;,&quot;srcNoWatermark&quot;:null,&quot;fullscreen&quot;:null,&quot;imageSize&quot;:null,&quot;height&quot;:4000,&quot;width&quot;:6000,&quot;resizeWidth&quot;:398,&quot;bytes&quot;:null,&quot;alt&quot;:&quot;two people sitting on a log looking out at the ocean&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:null,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/jpg&quot;,&quot;href&quot;:null,&quot;belowTheFold&quot;:false,&quot;topImage&quot;:true,&quot;internalRedirect&quot;:null,&quot;isProcessing&quot;:false,&quot;align&quot;:null,&quot;offset&quot;:false}" class="sizing-normal" alt="two people sitting on a log looking out at the ocean" title="two people sitting on a log looking out at the ocean" srcset="https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1653359092732-acd69a5a4e8a?crop=entropy&amp;cs=tinysrgb&amp;fit=max&amp;fm=jpg&amp;ixid=M3wzMDAzMzh8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHw0MXx8Y2FsbSUyMHRhbGt8ZW58MHx8fHwxNzc3MzkwMDgwfDA&amp;ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=80&amp;w=1080 424w, https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1653359092732-acd69a5a4e8a?crop=entropy&amp;cs=tinysrgb&amp;fit=max&amp;fm=jpg&amp;ixid=M3wzMDAzMzh8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHw0MXx8Y2FsbSUyMHRhbGt8ZW58MHx8fHwxNzc3MzkwMDgwfDA&amp;ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=80&amp;w=1080 848w, https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1653359092732-acd69a5a4e8a?crop=entropy&amp;cs=tinysrgb&amp;fit=max&amp;fm=jpg&amp;ixid=M3wzMDAzMzh8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHw0MXx8Y2FsbSUyMHRhbGt8ZW58MHx8fHwxNzc3MzkwMDgwfDA&amp;ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=80&amp;w=1080 1272w, https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1653359092732-acd69a5a4e8a?crop=entropy&amp;cs=tinysrgb&amp;fit=max&amp;fm=jpg&amp;ixid=M3wzMDAzMzh8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHw0MXx8Y2FsbSUyMHRhbGt8ZW58MHx8fHwxNzc3MzkwMDgwfDA&amp;ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=80&amp;w=1080 1456w" sizes="100vw" fetchpriority="high"></picture><div class="image-link-expand"><div class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"><svg aria-hidden="true" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 20 20" fill="none" stroke-width="1.5" stroke="var(--color-fg-primary)" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><g><path d="M2.53001 7.81595C3.49179 4.73911 6.43281 2.5 9.91173 2.5C13.1684 2.5 15.9537 4.46214 17.0852 7.23684L17.6179 8.67647M17.6179 8.67647L18.5002 4.26471M17.6179 8.67647L13.6473 6.91176M17.4995 12.1841C16.5378 15.2609 13.5967 17.5 10.1178 17.5C6.86118 17.5 4.07589 15.5379 2.94432 12.7632L2.41165 11.3235M2.41165 11.3235L1.5293 15.7353M2.41165 11.3235L6.38224 13.0882"></path></g></svg></button><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="2" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" class="lucide lucide-maximize2 lucide-maximize-2"><polyline points="15 3 21 3 21 9"></polyline><polyline points="9 21 3 21 3 15"></polyline><line x1="21" x2="14" y1="3" y2="10"></line><line x1="3" x2="10" y1="21" y2="14"></line></svg></button></div></div></div></a><figcaption class="image-caption">Photo by <a href="https://unsplash.com/@albertpotjes">Albert Potjes</a> on <a href="https://unsplash.com">Unsplash</a></figcaption></figure></div><p>Conflict isn&#8217;t the problem most couples think it is.</p><p>It&#8217;s not whether conflict happens &#8212; it&#8217;s what happens <em>during</em> it that determines whether the relationship grows or breaks down.</p><div class="callout-block" data-callout="true"><p>In this Compass Issue, you&#8217;ll learn how to approach conflict in a way that reduces escalation, protects connection, and prevents small disagreements from becoming larger problems.</p></div>
      <p>
          <a href="https://theconnectioncompass.online/p/compass-issue-13-conflict-without">
              Read more
          </a>
      </p>
   ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title><![CDATA[Compass Issue #12 — Understanding Your Spouse’s Emotional World]]></title><description><![CDATA[It&#8217;s easy to focus on what your spouse says or does.]]></description><link>https://theconnectioncompass.online/p/compass-issue-12-understanding-your</link><guid isPermaLink="false">https://theconnectioncompass.online/p/compass-issue-12-understanding-your</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Lee H. Baucom, PhD]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Thu, 07 May 2026 13:02:59 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1635555452515-b5a87a88478d?crop=entropy&amp;cs=tinysrgb&amp;fit=max&amp;fm=jpg&amp;ixid=M3wzMDAzMzh8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHw0Nnx8bG9vayUyMGluJTIwd2luZG93fGVufDB8fHx8MTc3NzQ5MTczNXww&amp;ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=80&amp;w=1080" length="0" type="image/jpeg"/><content:encoded><![CDATA[<div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img" target="_blank" href="https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1635555452515-b5a87a88478d?crop=entropy&amp;cs=tinysrgb&amp;fit=max&amp;fm=jpg&amp;ixid=M3wzMDAzMzh8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHw0Nnx8bG9vayUyMGluJTIwd2luZG93fGVufDB8fHx8MTc3NzQ5MTczNXww&amp;ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=80&amp;w=1080" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" 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11.3235M2.41165 11.3235L1.5293 15.7353M2.41165 11.3235L6.38224 13.0882"></path></g></svg></button><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="2" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" class="lucide lucide-maximize2 lucide-maximize-2"><polyline points="15 3 21 3 21 9"></polyline><polyline points="9 21 3 21 3 15"></polyline><line x1="21" x2="14" y1="3" y2="10"></line><line x1="3" x2="10" y1="21" y2="14"></line></svg></button></div></div></div></a><figcaption class="image-caption">Photo by <a href="https://unsplash.com/@bykurt">ONUR KURT</a> on <a href="https://unsplash.com">Unsplash</a></figcaption></figure></div><p>It&#8217;s easy to focus on what your spouse says or does.</p><p>But what shapes those actions is often something deeper &#8212; their emotional experience.</p><div class="callout-block" data-callout="true"><p>In this Compass Issue, you&#8217;ll learn how paying attention to your spouse&#8217;s emotional world can reduce misunderstandings, deepen connection, and help you respond in more effective ways.</p></div>
      <p>
          <a href="https://theconnectioncompass.online/p/compass-issue-12-understanding-your">
              Read more
          </a>
      </p>
   ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title><![CDATA[Compass Issue #11 — Talking About Hard Things Calmly]]></title><description><![CDATA[Many couples avoid difficult conversations because they fear how quickly things can escalate.]]></description><link>https://theconnectioncompass.online/p/compass-issue-11-talking-about-hard</link><guid isPermaLink="false">https://theconnectioncompass.online/p/compass-issue-11-talking-about-hard</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Lee H. Baucom, PhD]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Thu, 30 Apr 2026 13:00:35 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1675609459162-41621fb7bee3?crop=entropy&amp;cs=tinysrgb&amp;fit=max&amp;fm=jpg&amp;ixid=M3wzMDAzMzh8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHw0OHx8aW50ZW5zZSUyMGNvbnZlcnNhdGlvbnxlbnwwfHx8fDE3NzYxOTUxMDl8MA&amp;ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=80&amp;w=1080" length="0" type="image/jpeg"/><content:encoded><![CDATA[<div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2" target="_blank" href="https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1675609459162-41621fb7bee3?crop=entropy&amp;cs=tinysrgb&amp;fit=max&amp;fm=jpg&amp;ixid=M3wzMDAzMzh8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHw0OHx8aW50ZW5zZSUyMGNvbnZlcnNhdGlvbnxlbnwwfHx8fDE3NzYxOTUxMDl8MA&amp;ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=80&amp;w=1080" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1675609459162-41621fb7bee3?crop=entropy&amp;cs=tinysrgb&amp;fit=max&amp;fm=jpg&amp;ixid=M3wzMDAzMzh8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHw0OHx8aW50ZW5zZSUyMGNvbnZlcnNhdGlvbnxlbnwwfHx8fDE3NzYxOTUxMDl8MA&amp;ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=80&amp;w=1080 424w, https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1675609459162-41621fb7bee3?crop=entropy&amp;cs=tinysrgb&amp;fit=max&amp;fm=jpg&amp;ixid=M3wzMDAzMzh8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHw0OHx8aW50ZW5zZSUyMGNvbnZlcnNhdGlvbnxlbnwwfHx8fDE3NzYxOTUxMDl8MA&amp;ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=80&amp;w=1080 848w, https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1675609459162-41621fb7bee3?crop=entropy&amp;cs=tinysrgb&amp;fit=max&amp;fm=jpg&amp;ixid=M3wzMDAzMzh8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHw0OHx8aW50ZW5zZSUyMGNvbnZlcnNhdGlvbnxlbnwwfHx8fDE3NzYxOTUxMDl8MA&amp;ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=80&amp;w=1080 1272w, https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1675609459162-41621fb7bee3?crop=entropy&amp;cs=tinysrgb&amp;fit=max&amp;fm=jpg&amp;ixid=M3wzMDAzMzh8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHw0OHx8aW50ZW5zZSUyMGNvbnZlcnNhdGlvbnxlbnwwfHx8fDE3NzYxOTUxMDl8MA&amp;ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=80&amp;w=1080 1456w" sizes="100vw"><img src="https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1675609459162-41621fb7bee3?crop=entropy&amp;cs=tinysrgb&amp;fit=max&amp;fm=jpg&amp;ixid=M3wzMDAzMzh8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHw0OHx8aW50ZW5zZSUyMGNvbnZlcnNhdGlvbnxlbnwwfHx8fDE3NzYxOTUxMDl8MA&amp;ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=80&amp;w=1080" width="401" height="225.5625" data-attrs="{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1675609459162-41621fb7bee3?crop=entropy&amp;cs=tinysrgb&amp;fit=max&amp;fm=jpg&amp;ixid=M3wzMDAzMzh8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHw0OHx8aW50ZW5zZSUyMGNvbnZlcnNhdGlvbnxlbnwwfHx8fDE3NzYxOTUxMDl8MA&amp;ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=80&amp;w=1080&quot;,&quot;srcNoWatermark&quot;:null,&quot;fullscreen&quot;:null,&quot;imageSize&quot;:null,&quot;height&quot;:3510,&quot;width&quot;:6240,&quot;resizeWidth&quot;:401,&quot;bytes&quot;:null,&quot;alt&quot;:&quot;two women sitting at a table in front of a window&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:null,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/jpg&quot;,&quot;href&quot;:null,&quot;belowTheFold&quot;:false,&quot;topImage&quot;:true,&quot;internalRedirect&quot;:null,&quot;isProcessing&quot;:false,&quot;align&quot;:null,&quot;offset&quot;:false}" class="sizing-normal" alt="two women sitting at a table in front of a window" title="two women sitting at a table in front of a window" srcset="https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1675609459162-41621fb7bee3?crop=entropy&amp;cs=tinysrgb&amp;fit=max&amp;fm=jpg&amp;ixid=M3wzMDAzMzh8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHw0OHx8aW50ZW5zZSUyMGNvbnZlcnNhdGlvbnxlbnwwfHx8fDE3NzYxOTUxMDl8MA&amp;ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=80&amp;w=1080 424w, https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1675609459162-41621fb7bee3?crop=entropy&amp;cs=tinysrgb&amp;fit=max&amp;fm=jpg&amp;ixid=M3wzMDAzMzh8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHw0OHx8aW50ZW5zZSUyMGNvbnZlcnNhdGlvbnxlbnwwfHx8fDE3NzYxOTUxMDl8MA&amp;ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=80&amp;w=1080 848w, https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1675609459162-41621fb7bee3?crop=entropy&amp;cs=tinysrgb&amp;fit=max&amp;fm=jpg&amp;ixid=M3wzMDAzMzh8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHw0OHx8aW50ZW5zZSUyMGNvbnZlcnNhdGlvbnxlbnwwfHx8fDE3NzYxOTUxMDl8MA&amp;ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=80&amp;w=1080 1272w, https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1675609459162-41621fb7bee3?crop=entropy&amp;cs=tinysrgb&amp;fit=max&amp;fm=jpg&amp;ixid=M3wzMDAzMzh8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHw0OHx8aW50ZW5zZSUyMGNvbnZlcnNhdGlvbnxlbnwwfHx8fDE3NzYxOTUxMDl8MA&amp;ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=80&amp;w=1080 1456w" sizes="100vw" fetchpriority="high"></picture><div></div></div></a><figcaption class="image-caption">Photo by <a href="https://unsplash.com/@xiaowuuuuuuu">Le Vu</a> on <a href="https://unsplash.com">Unsplash</a></figcaption></figure></div><p>Many couples avoid difficult conversations because they fear how quickly things can escalate.</p><p>But avoiding those conversations doesn&#8217;t solve the problem &#8212; it just delays it.</p><p>In this Compass Issue, you&#8217;ll learn how to approach difficult conversations in a calmer, more constructive way. This reduces the chance of escalation and increases the possibility of real understanding.</p>
      <p>
          <a href="https://theconnectioncompass.online/p/compass-issue-11-talking-about-hard">
              Read more
          </a>
      </p>
   ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title><![CDATA[Compass Issue #10 — Listening Without Defending]]></title><description><![CDATA[When your spouse says something difficult, the instinct is often to explain, correct, or defend yourself.]]></description><link>https://theconnectioncompass.online/p/compass-issue-10-listening-without</link><guid isPermaLink="false">https://theconnectioncompass.online/p/compass-issue-10-listening-without</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Lee H. Baucom, PhD]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Thu, 23 Apr 2026 13:03:43 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1516024802505-dca3acba2326?crop=entropy&amp;cs=tinysrgb&amp;fit=max&amp;fm=jpg&amp;ixid=M3wzMDAzMzh8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHwxfHxnZW50bGV8ZW58MHx8fHwxNzc2MTA1NTUwfDA&amp;ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=80&amp;w=1080" length="0" type="image/jpeg"/><content:encoded><![CDATA[<div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img" target="_blank" href="https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1516024802505-dca3acba2326?crop=entropy&amp;cs=tinysrgb&amp;fit=max&amp;fm=jpg&amp;ixid=M3wzMDAzMzh8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHwxfHxnZW50bGV8ZW58MHx8fHwxNzc2MTA1NTUwfDA&amp;ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=80&amp;w=1080" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" 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palm&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:null,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/jpg&quot;,&quot;href&quot;:null,&quot;belowTheFold&quot;:false,&quot;topImage&quot;:true,&quot;internalRedirect&quot;:null,&quot;isProcessing&quot;:false,&quot;align&quot;:null,&quot;offset&quot;:false}" class="sizing-normal" alt="black butterfly on woman's palm" title="black butterfly on woman's palm" srcset="https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1516024802505-dca3acba2326?crop=entropy&amp;cs=tinysrgb&amp;fit=max&amp;fm=jpg&amp;ixid=M3wzMDAzMzh8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHwxfHxnZW50bGV8ZW58MHx8fHwxNzc2MTA1NTUwfDA&amp;ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=80&amp;w=1080 424w, https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1516024802505-dca3acba2326?crop=entropy&amp;cs=tinysrgb&amp;fit=max&amp;fm=jpg&amp;ixid=M3wzMDAzMzh8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHwxfHxnZW50bGV8ZW58MHx8fHwxNzc2MTA1NTUwfDA&amp;ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=80&amp;w=1080 848w, https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1516024802505-dca3acba2326?crop=entropy&amp;cs=tinysrgb&amp;fit=max&amp;fm=jpg&amp;ixid=M3wzMDAzMzh8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHwxfHxnZW50bGV8ZW58MHx8fHwxNzc2MTA1NTUwfDA&amp;ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=80&amp;w=1080 1272w, https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1516024802505-dca3acba2326?crop=entropy&amp;cs=tinysrgb&amp;fit=max&amp;fm=jpg&amp;ixid=M3wzMDAzMzh8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHwxfHxnZW50bGV8ZW58MHx8fHwxNzc2MTA1NTUwfDA&amp;ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=80&amp;w=1080 1456w" sizes="100vw" fetchpriority="high"></picture><div class="image-link-expand"><div class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"><svg aria-hidden="true" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 20 20" fill="none" stroke-width="1.5" stroke="var(--color-fg-primary)" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><g><path d="M2.53001 7.81595C3.49179 4.73911 6.43281 2.5 9.91173 2.5C13.1684 2.5 15.9537 4.46214 17.0852 7.23684L17.6179 8.67647M17.6179 8.67647L18.5002 4.26471M17.6179 8.67647L13.6473 6.91176M17.4995 12.1841C16.5378 15.2609 13.5967 17.5 10.1178 17.5C6.86118 17.5 4.07589 15.5379 2.94432 12.7632L2.41165 11.3235M2.41165 11.3235L1.5293 15.7353M2.41165 11.3235L6.38224 13.0882"></path></g></svg></button><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="2" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" class="lucide lucide-maximize2 lucide-maximize-2"><polyline points="15 3 21 3 21 9"></polyline><polyline points="9 21 3 21 3 15"></polyline><line x1="21" x2="14" y1="3" y2="10"></line><line x1="3" x2="10" y1="21" y2="14"></line></svg></button></div></div></div></a><figcaption class="image-caption">Photo by <a href="https://unsplash.com/@jareeign">Reign Abarintos</a> on <a href="https://unsplash.com">Unsplash</a></figcaption></figure></div><p>When your spouse says something difficult, the instinct is often to explain, correct, or defend yourself.</p><p>But even well-meaning defenses can make your spouse feel unheard.</p><p>In this Compass Issue, you&#8217;ll learn how listening without defending can reduce tension, help your spouse feel heard, and create a safer space for communication.</p>
      <p>
          <a href="https://theconnectioncompass.online/p/compass-issue-10-listening-without">
              Read more
          </a>
      </p>
   ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title><![CDATA[Compass Issue #9 — The Curiosity Shift]]></title><description><![CDATA[When a marriage feels strained, it&#8217;s easy to assume you know what your spouse is thinking.]]></description><link>https://theconnectioncompass.online/p/compass-issue-9-the-curiosity-shift</link><guid isPermaLink="false">https://theconnectioncompass.online/p/compass-issue-9-the-curiosity-shift</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Lee H. Baucom, PhD]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Thu, 16 Apr 2026 13:01:58 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1589471403909-e1bb34cb2982?crop=entropy&amp;cs=tinysrgb&amp;fit=max&amp;fm=jpg&amp;ixid=M3wzMDAzMzh8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHw0fHxjdXJpb3VzfGVufDB8fHx8MTc3NDk3ODM2MXww&amp;ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=80&amp;w=1080" length="0" type="image/jpeg"/><content:encoded><![CDATA[<div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img" target="_blank" href="https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1589471403909-e1bb34cb2982?crop=entropy&amp;cs=tinysrgb&amp;fit=max&amp;fm=jpg&amp;ixid=M3wzMDAzMzh8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHw0fHxjdXJpb3VzfGVufDB8fHx8MTc3NDk3ODM2MXww&amp;ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=80&amp;w=1080" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1589471403909-e1bb34cb2982?crop=entropy&amp;cs=tinysrgb&amp;fit=max&amp;fm=jpg&amp;ixid=M3wzMDAzMzh8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHw0fHxjdXJpb3VzfGVufDB8fHx8MTc3NDk3ODM2MXww&amp;ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=80&amp;w=1080 424w, https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1589471403909-e1bb34cb2982?crop=entropy&amp;cs=tinysrgb&amp;fit=max&amp;fm=jpg&amp;ixid=M3wzMDAzMzh8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHw0fHxjdXJpb3VzfGVufDB8fHx8MTc3NDk3ODM2MXww&amp;ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=80&amp;w=1080 848w, https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1589471403909-e1bb34cb2982?crop=entropy&amp;cs=tinysrgb&amp;fit=max&amp;fm=jpg&amp;ixid=M3wzMDAzMzh8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHw0fHxjdXJpb3VzfGVufDB8fHx8MTc3NDk3ODM2MXww&amp;ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=80&amp;w=1080 1272w, https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1589471403909-e1bb34cb2982?crop=entropy&amp;cs=tinysrgb&amp;fit=max&amp;fm=jpg&amp;ixid=M3wzMDAzMzh8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHw0fHxjdXJpb3VzfGVufDB8fHx8MTc3NDk3ODM2MXww&amp;ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=80&amp;w=1080 1456w" sizes="100vw"><img src="https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1589471403909-e1bb34cb2982?crop=entropy&amp;cs=tinysrgb&amp;fit=max&amp;fm=jpg&amp;ixid=M3wzMDAzMzh8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHw0fHxjdXJpb3VzfGVufDB8fHx8MTc3NDk3ODM2MXww&amp;ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=80&amp;w=1080" width="375" height="250" data-attrs="{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1589471403909-e1bb34cb2982?crop=entropy&amp;cs=tinysrgb&amp;fit=max&amp;fm=jpg&amp;ixid=M3wzMDAzMzh8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHw0fHxjdXJpb3VzfGVufDB8fHx8MTc3NDk3ODM2MXww&amp;ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=80&amp;w=1080&quot;,&quot;srcNoWatermark&quot;:null,&quot;fullscreen&quot;:null,&quot;imageSize&quot;:null,&quot;height&quot;:3456,&quot;width&quot;:5184,&quot;resizeWidth&quot;:375,&quot;bytes&quot;:null,&quot;alt&quot;:&quot;white printer paper on glass wall&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:null,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/jpg&quot;,&quot;href&quot;:null,&quot;belowTheFold&quot;:false,&quot;topImage&quot;:true,&quot;internalRedirect&quot;:null,&quot;isProcessing&quot;:false,&quot;align&quot;:null,&quot;offset&quot;:false}" class="sizing-normal" alt="white printer paper on glass wall" title="white printer paper on glass wall" srcset="https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1589471403909-e1bb34cb2982?crop=entropy&amp;cs=tinysrgb&amp;fit=max&amp;fm=jpg&amp;ixid=M3wzMDAzMzh8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHw0fHxjdXJpb3VzfGVufDB8fHx8MTc3NDk3ODM2MXww&amp;ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=80&amp;w=1080 424w, https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1589471403909-e1bb34cb2982?crop=entropy&amp;cs=tinysrgb&amp;fit=max&amp;fm=jpg&amp;ixid=M3wzMDAzMzh8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHw0fHxjdXJpb3VzfGVufDB8fHx8MTc3NDk3ODM2MXww&amp;ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=80&amp;w=1080 848w, https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1589471403909-e1bb34cb2982?crop=entropy&amp;cs=tinysrgb&amp;fit=max&amp;fm=jpg&amp;ixid=M3wzMDAzMzh8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHw0fHxjdXJpb3VzfGVufDB8fHx8MTc3NDk3ODM2MXww&amp;ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=80&amp;w=1080 1272w, https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1589471403909-e1bb34cb2982?crop=entropy&amp;cs=tinysrgb&amp;fit=max&amp;fm=jpg&amp;ixid=M3wzMDAzMzh8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHw0fHxjdXJpb3VzfGVufDB8fHx8MTc3NDk3ODM2MXww&amp;ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=80&amp;w=1080 1456w" sizes="100vw" fetchpriority="high"></picture><div class="image-link-expand"><div class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"><svg aria-hidden="true" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 20 20" fill="none" stroke-width="1.5" stroke="var(--color-fg-primary)" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><g><path d="M2.53001 7.81595C3.49179 4.73911 6.43281 2.5 9.91173 2.5C13.1684 2.5 15.9537 4.46214 17.0852 7.23684L17.6179 8.67647M17.6179 8.67647L18.5002 4.26471M17.6179 8.67647L13.6473 6.91176M17.4995 12.1841C16.5378 15.2609 13.5967 17.5 10.1178 17.5C6.86118 17.5 4.07589 15.5379 2.94432 12.7632L2.41165 11.3235M2.41165 11.3235L1.5293 15.7353M2.41165 11.3235L6.38224 13.0882"></path></g></svg></button><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="2" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" class="lucide lucide-maximize2 lucide-maximize-2"><polyline points="15 3 21 3 21 9"></polyline><polyline points="9 21 3 21 3 15"></polyline><line x1="21" x2="14" y1="3" y2="10"></line><line x1="3" x2="10" y1="21" y2="14"></line></svg></button></div></div></div></a><figcaption class="image-caption">Photo by <a href="https://unsplash.com/@garybpt">Gary Butterfield</a> on <a href="https://unsplash.com">Unsplash</a></figcaption></figure></div><p>When a marriage feels strained, it&#8217;s easy to assume you know what your spouse is thinking.</p><p>Those assumptions are often wrong &#8212; and they can quietly increase distance.</p><p>In this Compass Issue, you&#8217;ll learn how shifting from assumptions to curiosity can reduce misunderstandings, lower defensiveness, and create space for better connection.</p>
      <p>
          <a href="https://theconnectioncompass.online/p/compass-issue-9-the-curiosity-shift">
              Read more
          </a>
      </p>
   ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title><![CDATA[Compass Issue #8 — Rebuilding Positive Moments]]></title><description><![CDATA[After everything you&#8217;ve tried, it can feel like the only way forward is to have the right conversation.]]></description><link>https://theconnectioncompass.online/p/compass-issue-8-rebuilding-positive</link><guid isPermaLink="false">https://theconnectioncompass.online/p/compass-issue-8-rebuilding-positive</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Lee H. Baucom, PhD]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Thu, 09 Apr 2026 13:02:37 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!uLyb!,w_256,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F32c9c959-9cdb-46ad-9e90-43ae1add438c_500x500.png" length="0" type="image/jpeg"/><content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>After everything you&#8217;ve tried, it can feel like the only way forward is to have the right conversation.</p><p>But connection is rarely rebuilt through conversation alone.</p><p>In this Compass Issue, you&#8217;ll learn why positive moments &#8212; not pressure or problem-solving &#8212; are often the first real step in rebuilding connection, and how to begin creating them without forcing the relationship.</p>
      <p>
          <a href="https://theconnectioncompass.online/p/compass-issue-8-rebuilding-positive">
              Read more
          </a>
      </p>
   ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title><![CDATA[Compass Issue #7 — The Appreciation Reset]]></title><description><![CDATA[In many struggling marriages, appreciation quietly disappears.]]></description><link>https://theconnectioncompass.online/p/compass-issue-7-the-appreciation</link><guid isPermaLink="false">https://theconnectioncompass.online/p/compass-issue-7-the-appreciation</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Lee H. Baucom, PhD]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Thu, 02 Apr 2026 13:02:19 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1545945774-73922eb27813?crop=entropy&amp;cs=tinysrgb&amp;fit=max&amp;fm=jpg&amp;ixid=M3wzMDAzMzh8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHw5fHxhcHByZWNpYXRpb258ZW58MHx8fHwxNzczNzY5MTc4fDA&amp;ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=80&amp;w=1080" length="0" type="image/jpeg"/><content:encoded><![CDATA[<div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img" target="_blank" href="https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1545945774-73922eb27813?crop=entropy&amp;cs=tinysrgb&amp;fit=max&amp;fm=jpg&amp;ixid=M3wzMDAzMzh8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHw5fHxhcHByZWNpYXRpb258ZW58MHx8fHwxNzczNzY5MTc4fDA&amp;ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=80&amp;w=1080" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1545945774-73922eb27813?crop=entropy&amp;cs=tinysrgb&amp;fit=max&amp;fm=jpg&amp;ixid=M3wzMDAzMzh8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHw5fHxhcHByZWNpYXRpb258ZW58MHx8fHwxNzczNzY5MTc4fDA&amp;ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=80&amp;w=1080 424w, https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1545945774-73922eb27813?crop=entropy&amp;cs=tinysrgb&amp;fit=max&amp;fm=jpg&amp;ixid=M3wzMDAzMzh8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHw5fHxhcHByZWNpYXRpb258ZW58MHx8fHwxNzczNzY5MTc4fDA&amp;ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=80&amp;w=1080 848w, https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1545945774-73922eb27813?crop=entropy&amp;cs=tinysrgb&amp;fit=max&amp;fm=jpg&amp;ixid=M3wzMDAzMzh8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHw5fHxhcHByZWNpYXRpb258ZW58MHx8fHwxNzczNzY5MTc4fDA&amp;ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=80&amp;w=1080 1272w, https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1545945774-73922eb27813?crop=entropy&amp;cs=tinysrgb&amp;fit=max&amp;fm=jpg&amp;ixid=M3wzMDAzMzh8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHw5fHxhcHByZWNpYXRpb258ZW58MHx8fHwxNzczNzY5MTc4fDA&amp;ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=80&amp;w=1080 1456w" sizes="100vw"><img src="https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1545945774-73922eb27813?crop=entropy&amp;cs=tinysrgb&amp;fit=max&amp;fm=jpg&amp;ixid=M3wzMDAzMzh8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHw5fHxhcHByZWNpYXRpb258ZW58MHx8fHwxNzczNzY5MTc4fDA&amp;ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=80&amp;w=1080" width="398" height="298.5" data-attrs="{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1545945774-73922eb27813?crop=entropy&amp;cs=tinysrgb&amp;fit=max&amp;fm=jpg&amp;ixid=M3wzMDAzMzh8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHw5fHxhcHByZWNpYXRpb258ZW58MHx8fHwxNzczNzY5MTc4fDA&amp;ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=80&amp;w=1080&quot;,&quot;srcNoWatermark&quot;:null,&quot;fullscreen&quot;:null,&quot;imageSize&quot;:null,&quot;height&quot;:3000,&quot;width&quot;:4000,&quot;resizeWidth&quot;:398,&quot;bytes&quot;:null,&quot;alt&quot;:&quot;silhouette of person spreading hands&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:null,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/jpg&quot;,&quot;href&quot;:null,&quot;belowTheFold&quot;:false,&quot;topImage&quot;:true,&quot;internalRedirect&quot;:null,&quot;isProcessing&quot;:false,&quot;align&quot;:null,&quot;offset&quot;:false}" class="sizing-normal" alt="silhouette of person spreading hands" title="silhouette of person spreading hands" srcset="https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1545945774-73922eb27813?crop=entropy&amp;cs=tinysrgb&amp;fit=max&amp;fm=jpg&amp;ixid=M3wzMDAzMzh8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHw5fHxhcHByZWNpYXRpb258ZW58MHx8fHwxNzczNzY5MTc4fDA&amp;ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=80&amp;w=1080 424w, https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1545945774-73922eb27813?crop=entropy&amp;cs=tinysrgb&amp;fit=max&amp;fm=jpg&amp;ixid=M3wzMDAzMzh8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHw5fHxhcHByZWNpYXRpb258ZW58MHx8fHwxNzczNzY5MTc4fDA&amp;ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=80&amp;w=1080 848w, https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1545945774-73922eb27813?crop=entropy&amp;cs=tinysrgb&amp;fit=max&amp;fm=jpg&amp;ixid=M3wzMDAzMzh8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHw5fHxhcHByZWNpYXRpb258ZW58MHx8fHwxNzczNzY5MTc4fDA&amp;ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=80&amp;w=1080 1272w, https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1545945774-73922eb27813?crop=entropy&amp;cs=tinysrgb&amp;fit=max&amp;fm=jpg&amp;ixid=M3wzMDAzMzh8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHw5fHxhcHByZWNpYXRpb258ZW58MHx8fHwxNzczNzY5MTc4fDA&amp;ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=80&amp;w=1080 1456w" sizes="100vw" fetchpriority="high"></picture><div class="image-link-expand"><div class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"><svg aria-hidden="true" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 20 20" fill="none" stroke-width="1.5" stroke="var(--color-fg-primary)" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><g><path d="M2.53001 7.81595C3.49179 4.73911 6.43281 2.5 9.91173 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href="https://unsplash.com">Unsplash</a></figcaption></figure></div><p>In many struggling marriages, appreciation quietly disappears.</p><p>Not because it&#8217;s gone, but because it&#8217;s no longer expressed.</p><blockquote><p>In this Compass Issue, you&#8217;ll learn why appreciation is one of the simplest ways to begin rebuilding connection&#8230; and how small expressions of appreciation can shift the emotional tone of your relationship.</p></blockquote>
      <p>
          <a href="https://theconnectioncompass.online/p/compass-issue-7-the-appreciation">
              Read more
          </a>
      </p>
   ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title><![CDATA[Compass Issue #6 — Emotional Safety Comes First]]></title><description><![CDATA[Many people try to rebuild connection in their marriage by talking things through.]]></description><link>https://theconnectioncompass.online/p/compass-issue-6-emotional-safety</link><guid isPermaLink="false">https://theconnectioncompass.online/p/compass-issue-6-emotional-safety</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Lee H. Baucom, PhD]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Thu, 26 Mar 2026 13:02:32 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1580115465903-0e4a824a4e9a?crop=entropy&amp;cs=tinysrgb&amp;fit=max&amp;fm=jpg&amp;ixid=M3wzMDAzMzh8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHw1fHxzYWZldHl8ZW58MHx8fHwxNzczNzQ4MTg1fDA&amp;ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=80&amp;w=1080" length="0" type="image/jpeg"/><content:encoded><![CDATA[<div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img" target="_blank" href="https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1580115465903-0e4a824a4e9a?crop=entropy&amp;cs=tinysrgb&amp;fit=max&amp;fm=jpg&amp;ixid=M3wzMDAzMzh8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHw1fHxzYWZldHl8ZW58MHx8fHwxNzczNzQ4MTg1fDA&amp;ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=80&amp;w=1080" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" 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logo&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:null,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/jpg&quot;,&quot;href&quot;:null,&quot;belowTheFold&quot;:false,&quot;topImage&quot;:true,&quot;internalRedirect&quot;:null,&quot;isProcessing&quot;:false,&quot;align&quot;:null,&quot;offset&quot;:false}" class="sizing-normal" alt="red and white x logo" title="red and white x logo" srcset="https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1580115465903-0e4a824a4e9a?crop=entropy&amp;cs=tinysrgb&amp;fit=max&amp;fm=jpg&amp;ixid=M3wzMDAzMzh8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHw1fHxzYWZldHl8ZW58MHx8fHwxNzczNzQ4MTg1fDA&amp;ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=80&amp;w=1080 424w, https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1580115465903-0e4a824a4e9a?crop=entropy&amp;cs=tinysrgb&amp;fit=max&amp;fm=jpg&amp;ixid=M3wzMDAzMzh8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHw1fHxzYWZldHl8ZW58MHx8fHwxNzczNzQ4MTg1fDA&amp;ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=80&amp;w=1080 848w, https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1580115465903-0e4a824a4e9a?crop=entropy&amp;cs=tinysrgb&amp;fit=max&amp;fm=jpg&amp;ixid=M3wzMDAzMzh8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHw1fHxzYWZldHl8ZW58MHx8fHwxNzczNzQ4MTg1fDA&amp;ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=80&amp;w=1080 1272w, https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1580115465903-0e4a824a4e9a?crop=entropy&amp;cs=tinysrgb&amp;fit=max&amp;fm=jpg&amp;ixid=M3wzMDAzMzh8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHw1fHxzYWZldHl8ZW58MHx8fHwxNzczNzQ4MTg1fDA&amp;ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=80&amp;w=1080 1456w" sizes="100vw" fetchpriority="high"></picture><div class="image-link-expand"><div class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"><svg aria-hidden="true" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 20 20" fill="none" stroke-width="1.5" stroke="var(--color-fg-primary)" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><g><path d="M2.53001 7.81595C3.49179 4.73911 6.43281 2.5 9.91173 2.5C13.1684 2.5 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href="https://unsplash.com">Unsplash</a></figcaption></figure></div><p>Many people try to rebuild connection in their marriage by talking things through.</p><p>But when emotional safety is low, even good conversations can create more distance.</p><blockquote><p>In this Compass Issue, you&#8217;ll learn why emotional safety is the foundation of a healthy relationship &#8212; and how small shifts can begin creating a safer environment for connection to return.</p></blockquote>
      <p>
          <a href="https://theconnectioncompass.online/p/compass-issue-6-emotional-safety">
              Read more
          </a>
      </p>
   ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title><![CDATA[Compass Issue #5 — The Pressure Cycle]]></title><description><![CDATA[When a marriage feels uncertain, many people try harder to fix it.]]></description><link>https://theconnectioncompass.online/p/compass-issue-5-the-pressure-cycle</link><guid isPermaLink="false">https://theconnectioncompass.online/p/compass-issue-5-the-pressure-cycle</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Lee H. Baucom, PhD]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Thu, 19 Mar 2026 13:04:37 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1559590836-9eb74007ab44?crop=entropy&amp;cs=tinysrgb&amp;fit=max&amp;fm=jpg&amp;ixid=M3wzMDAzMzh8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHw0fHxwcmVzc3VyZXxlbnwwfHx8fDE3NzM2MzA2NzB8MA&amp;ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=80&amp;w=1080" length="0" type="image/jpeg"/><content:encoded><![CDATA[<div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img" target="_blank" href="https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1559590836-9eb74007ab44?crop=entropy&amp;cs=tinysrgb&amp;fit=max&amp;fm=jpg&amp;ixid=M3wzMDAzMzh8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHw0fHxwcmVzc3VyZXxlbnwwfHx8fDE3NzM2MzA2NzB8MA&amp;ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=80&amp;w=1080" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1559590836-9eb74007ab44?crop=entropy&amp;cs=tinysrgb&amp;fit=max&amp;fm=jpg&amp;ixid=M3wzMDAzMzh8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHw0fHxwcmVzc3VyZXxlbnwwfHx8fDE3NzM2MzA2NzB8MA&amp;ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=80&amp;w=1080 424w, https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1559590836-9eb74007ab44?crop=entropy&amp;cs=tinysrgb&amp;fit=max&amp;fm=jpg&amp;ixid=M3wzMDAzMzh8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHw0fHxwcmVzc3VyZXxlbnwwfHx8fDE3NzM2MzA2NzB8MA&amp;ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=80&amp;w=1080 848w, https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1559590836-9eb74007ab44?crop=entropy&amp;cs=tinysrgb&amp;fit=max&amp;fm=jpg&amp;ixid=M3wzMDAzMzh8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHw0fHxwcmVzc3VyZXxlbnwwfHx8fDE3NzM2MzA2NzB8MA&amp;ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=80&amp;w=1080 1272w, https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1559590836-9eb74007ab44?crop=entropy&amp;cs=tinysrgb&amp;fit=max&amp;fm=jpg&amp;ixid=M3wzMDAzMzh8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHw0fHxwcmVzc3VyZXxlbnwwfHx8fDE3NzM2MzA2NzB8MA&amp;ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=80&amp;w=1080 1456w" sizes="100vw"><img 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pipe&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:null,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/jpg&quot;,&quot;href&quot;:null,&quot;belowTheFold&quot;:false,&quot;topImage&quot;:true,&quot;internalRedirect&quot;:null,&quot;isProcessing&quot;:false,&quot;align&quot;:null,&quot;offset&quot;:false}" class="sizing-normal" alt="black metal pipe" title="black metal pipe" srcset="https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1559590836-9eb74007ab44?crop=entropy&amp;cs=tinysrgb&amp;fit=max&amp;fm=jpg&amp;ixid=M3wzMDAzMzh8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHw0fHxwcmVzc3VyZXxlbnwwfHx8fDE3NzM2MzA2NzB8MA&amp;ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=80&amp;w=1080 424w, https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1559590836-9eb74007ab44?crop=entropy&amp;cs=tinysrgb&amp;fit=max&amp;fm=jpg&amp;ixid=M3wzMDAzMzh8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHw0fHxwcmVzc3VyZXxlbnwwfHx8fDE3NzM2MzA2NzB8MA&amp;ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=80&amp;w=1080 848w, 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href="https://unsplash.com">Unsplash</a></figcaption></figure></div><p>When a marriage feels uncertain, many people try harder to fix it.</p><p>They talk more.<br>Push for answers.<br>Ask for reassurance.</p><p>Ironically, that effort can sometimes make the distance grow.</p><blockquote><p>In this Compass Issue, we&#8217;ll explore the Pressure Cycle &#8212; the pattern where one partner&#8217;s urgency creates resistance in the other &#8212; and how reducing pressure can begin shifting the emotional climate of the relationship.</p></blockquote>
      <p>
          <a href="https://theconnectioncompass.online/p/compass-issue-5-the-pressure-cycle">
              Read more
          </a>
      </p>
   ]]></content:encoded></item></channel></rss>