“Say what you mean, and mean what you say.” This venerable and oh-so-true expression reveals a lot about the importance of integrity, honesty and keeping your word in your day-to-day life. Years ago, I had a neighbor who felt it … Continue reading
Dear Dr. Hurd, My mother is 91, lives alone, doesn’t drive, and is in pretty good health. Since she moved here, she has become very manipulative. She exaggerates her hearing and vision problems, and invents situations to get what she … Continue reading
‘Tiz the season, and the holidays are upon us. This time of year gets me thinking about how different people interpret the meaning of Thanksgiving. Of course, conventional wisdom suggests that Thanksgiving is a time to be grateful. That sounds … Continue reading
Far from being something mysterious, the power of suggestion is often a part of everyday life. For example, let’s say you mistakenly drink a caffeinated beverage close to bedtime, but don’t realize it until the next day. You’re surprised that … Continue reading
It amazes me how people act like smart consumers in some situations, and like helpless pawns in others. Consider the way most of us handle the news — especially television news. I don’t care which news station you watch; they … Continue reading
A weekly reader of this column emails that insignificant things often annoy her. For example, she was upset in a restaurant recently because a child was making some noise. She admits that the kid was just being a kid, and … Continue reading
I see so many people who spend more years caring for their elderly parents than they spent raising their own children. This is becoming more and more commonplace as advances in medical science continue to extend the lives of Baby … Continue reading
A reader of this column emails me about disagreements she has with her friend. Their differences are on fundamental levels, and she wonders if there is a point that two people reach when the gap between their values is simply … Continue reading
So many people say to me, “Why is it that what I can’t have, always seems more appealing than what I can have?” The answer is easy: Wanting what you can’t have is the easy way out. In other words, … Continue reading
One of the subjects that comes up very often in my office is smoking. A website visitor emails that she has successfully reduced her cigarette intake from 22 (!) to only 6 a day. Now she’s stuck, and asks for … Continue reading
A reader sent me a comment about one of my columns where I suggested that the biggest mistake people make is to try to change others. She agrees that the choice of what to think and do will always be … Continue reading
Regulars here at Life’s a Beach! know that I regularly refer to the term “cognitive therapy”. Has an impressive scientific ring, don’t you think? But aside from sounding official, just what is it? People ask me, “Cognitive therapy is all … Continue reading