It's sounds like you have a nice guy....you're lucky. I think it would be helpful for you to ask yourself questions before you get your partner involved - like "do I really need to discuss this or can this wait or can I solve this on my own". When you're talking to him about something - it's good to give him a 'heads up' as to whether you just need him to listen or whether you actually expect him to help you find a solution. It's also good to ask yourself - is this a significant problem or could my emotional state be a contributing factor, therefore there's no need to bother him if you can control this on your own.