We are so afraid of being rejected and abandoned, of being yelled at or shamed, or of hurting other people, that we tend not to want to go there at all. This is not such a surprise. Often, we are not taught how to handle conflict. Sometimes we are even taught that conflict is bad, wrong and leads to the breakdown of relationships.
But by avoiding conflict, we almost inevitably have to repress our truth or try to be something we are not. This is a slippery slope in relationship - one that often leads to a slow erosion of trust and connection. Suddenly we don't know where the distance came from or why it is so hard to relax around each other.