The 50 Best Pieces of Marriage Advice of All Time — Best Life bestlifeonline.com/marriage-tipsPrivate View Doing so, "puts the negative statements in perspective". 3. Use laughter to your advantage. iStock. Even in tense situations, sometimes all you need is a moment of levity to change the tone of the conversation. "If something frustrating is happening, try easing the tension with a bit of humor," suggests Tessina.