One way or another, many of us engage in gossip to some degree. Even if you never open your mouth, you’re contributing to gossip if you patronize the magazines, websites or TV shows that call themselves “entertainment news.” Nigel Nicholson, … Continue reading
Just when I start to wonder if all this writing is worth it, I get an email like this: “Dear Dr. Hurd, I strive to live up to the ideals you promote in your column. I like to quote your … Continue reading
A reader emails that she has successfully reduced her cigarette intake from 22 to only 6 a day. Now she’s stuck, and asks for advice on how to end the habit altogether. Your mistake, dear Reader, was that you set … Continue reading
Occasionally I meet people who have an obsessive need to keep themselves and their kids busy. Every spare moment must be filled! I wonder if, for the kids, it’s pressure to get into the top schools, or are the parents … Continue reading
A website visitor writes, “I have a friend who projects her shortcomings and personality faults onto others; holding them accountable for those actions or inactions. For example, she’s always late, yet she expresses anger when others are late. Why does … Continue reading
Many people are trained to believe that the reasonable thing to do is to compromise; to meet the other person halfway. That might sound nice, but in my experience it doesn’t always work. All action needs to be purposeful. And … Continue reading
One of the biggest problems in many personal or business relationships is the assumption that there’s a conflict of interest when in fact there isn’t. When personal relationships degenerate into unhappiness, you’ll almost always find the partners ready to adopt … Continue reading
A Delaware Wave reader sent me this note: “My ‘new age’ friends are always telling me to ‘Go with your feelings and say what you feel.’ But is it advisable to just blurt out whatever pops into my head — … Continue reading
According to research reported by theguardian.com, loneliness can have dramatic consequences on one’s health. Feeling isolated from others can disrupt sleep, raise blood pressure, lower immunity, increase depression, lower subjective well-being and increase the stress hormone cortisol (at sustained high … Continue reading
Psychologist Dr. Martin Seligman, author of “Authentic Happiness,” asserts that happiness has three components: mood, meaning, and how engaged people are in what they’re doing. “You could think of [these] as three different ‘takes’ a person has on his or … Continue reading
My childhood memories always include thoughts of my father. Right up until he passed away a few years ago, he was active and alert; cutting the grass weekly, keeping-up the house and expertly managing his computer. When clients ask me … Continue reading
People often tell me that when they try to make suggestions to friends and loved ones, their well-meaning intentions are often rewarded with unpleasantness and heated discussions. Indeed, it’s virtually impossible to get a point across to anyone who feels … Continue reading