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
A loyal reader writes, “I’m the primary caretaker for my aging mother who is suffering from advanced Alzheimer’s. Unlike death, where you grieve and then in time return to your daily routine, dealing with my mother is like being stuck … Continue reading
A website fan sent me an interesting email. During a routine visit, he asked his family doctor what she would do if she suddenly had millions of dollars. Would she still work? Would she stop working? The doctor said she … 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
A reader sent me a comment about one of my recent 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 … Continue reading
During counseling sessions, people sometimes say that they expected me to yell at them. Do I look THAT mean in the picture on this page? I wonder what would give rise to such an expectation, other than the proliferation of … Continue reading