…you can take it a step further: You can still treat things as important by simply replacing the worry with action (something poor Alfred never did). If the anxiety is valid, then deal with it. If it’s about something over which you have no immediate control, then let it go! Dare to think about something else. It’s not easy at first, but the results are rewarding, and the Land of No Worry can be a peaceful place to live.   Follow Dr. Hurd on Facebo… Continue reading →

…mmon, then work together on those. In the interest of getting things done, compliment and flatter him if you like. Some progress is better than none. Some obnoxious people mean no harm and are just trying to do things right. They drive people away, and when they sense this they panic and get worse. This is sadder for him than for those he annoys. After all, we can (literally or figuratively) vote such people out of our lives. But, sadly, they stil… Continue reading →

…ognition our survival, self-esteem and basic happiness requires. We indulge it at our own peril, and sooner or later we pay the price.   Follow Dr. Hurd on Facebook. Search under “Michael Hurd” (Rehoboth Beach DE). Get up-to-the-minute postings, recommended articles and links, and engage in back-and-forth discussion with Dr. Hurd on topics of interest. Also follow Dr. Hurd on Twitter at @MichaelJHurd1, and see “Michael Hurd” on MeWe…. Continue reading →

…portive. Nonsense. Of course, if you ask me to agree with you and I cannot comply, I have to be honest with you. Make-believe doesn’t accomplish anything. One of my favorite phrases is, “I’m not motivated.” When translated into reality, it means, “I’m not going to do this because I don’t feel like it.” “I’m not motivated” is just a convenient bypass around having to give a reason. In reality-speak, one could say, “I don’t see the point of doing th… Continue reading →

…ut anything that somebody found uncomfortable, none the least of which “non-combat PTSD” and PTSD following an abusive childhood. While it’s certainly unhealthy to ignore or minimize the effect of genuine trauma, it’s equally unhealthy to make the experience of trauma into a person’s defining characteristic. It saddens me to think of people approaching a psychiatrist or therapist for help, saying, “I want to move past the trauma,” and being told,… Continue reading →

…here is a point that two people reach when the gap between their values is simply too wide. She asks where that line is, and who she should remove from her life and who she should keep. I maintain that it’s not a line as much as an objective point. The conventional wisdom is, “Why, it’s selfish to think about who you should keep in your life.” People come up with this holier-than-thou reasoning and then proceed to act on their emotions anyway by c… Continue reading →

…beginning of a new year – will most probably lead to failure. Try this simple test: Imagine that you’re no longer with your husband. The activities that he objected to have finally become so annoying that you have quit on your own, just because you want to. If you can honestly tell yourself that you can (and would) stop even if he were not in your life, then you’re ready to do it on your own. Changing your ways just to make your husband happy won… Continue reading →

…with dilemmas where each choice involves a potential loss. But potential loss can also bring the potential for gain. So, is it worth it?   Follow Dr. Hurd on Facebook. Search under “Michael Hurd” (Rehoboth Beach DE). Get up-to-the-minute postings, recommended articles and links, and engage in back-and-forth discussion with Dr. Hurd on topics of interest. Also follow Dr. Hurd on Twitter at @MichaelJHurd1, and see drmichaelhurd on Instagram…. Continue reading →