When your kids, your mate or your relatives are making really bad choices, the most difficult thing to do is believe they can straighten themselves out. It is typical to want to tell them a few realities. You might have a powerful urge to straighten them out yourself. Resist. Messing up and making bad choices […]
Rage is ugly, but maybe the problem isn’t your anger. Emotion is a vital part of being human. You need to feel happiness, sadness, anxiety and, even, anger—emotion is part of the weather system of our inner worlds. If you punch holes in walls, though, or scare your significant other when you’re mad, anger can […]
Loving another person can be the hardest challenge in your life, particularly when the one you love—a mate, a child, or a friend—is making difficult choices. When these choices are positive in that person’s life, you cheer. When the choices are destructive, though, you can have a range of emotions that threaten to tear you […]
Putting others down doesn’t really make you feel better, but the temptation can be strong. Particularly when you see someone who seems to have it all—money, relationship and perfect teeth. If they drive a great car, that’s even worse. It’s easy to feel less-than with others. You may feel like your life is a mess. […]
Relationships might be very intense, but that doesn’t make them healthy. You can find yourself in an interaction that involves powerful jealousy, huge fights and amazing make-up sex. Nothing may make you feel as horrible or as terrific. You can find yourself flipped between two extremes. When it’s good, nothing is better. When it’s bad, […]
Sometimes you argue with your mate about important, life-changing things, but sometimes it seems like you fight about nothing! Lots of couples can’t say exactly what they fight about. They get into big arguments and bicker, but when asked what they argue about, they can’t say. Many will claim they mostly argue about stupid things. […]
It’s not that you’re deliberately dishonest with your child. You want everything for him. You want him to be happy, to find just the right job, the right mate, and to be happy with the life he chooses. You may still by lying. Truthfully, parenting lies can look so harmless. There are the lies you’d […]
Relationships are hard. Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise. If theirs isn’t hard now (and it probably is—they’re just lying), it will be eventually.If yours is tough sometimes, It’s not just you. The hardest of all relationships is a sneaky kind that looks really easy, in the beginning. You may feel like you speak the […]
Aside from the make-up sex, arguing with your mate really sucks. The sad part is that the fighting doesn’t usually get anywhere. Most people don’t know how to argue effectively. Conflict can work for you. You just need to know how to do it. Resolving conflict can empower a relationship. Just think about your favorite […]
It could be that you’re just a screw-up, but that would mean that everyone who ever failed at anything is also a screw-up. History is littered with huge successes that failed miserably for a while before hitting it big. Everyone messes up. Don’t kid yourself, it’s not just you. The real challenge is in finding […]