General Advice
A Word on Our Societal Erosion of Truth
When did it begin, this kinda, sorta, maybe way of thinking that makes right and wrong nothing more than intellectual exercises? When did we become a nation of slick marketing geniuses at the expense of truth, which is the foundation of capitalism? When did a handshake become a chuckle up the sleeve because some dope […]
Continue ReadingIf We Value Critical Thinking Why Are We Not Teaching It?
Read any day’s economic news and you’ll see both sides of ‘reality.’ The recession will continue for up to two more years, according to some. Others say there are bright spots—green shoots—pointing to a recovery by year-end. “We’re in the midst of a crash,” says Warren Buffett. “We are on the road to recovery,” say […]
Continue ReadingA Coping Paradox to Regain Power and Control Over Life
Talk to anyone for ten minutes these days and you’re likely to hear a stream of complaints followed by a long list of offenders. Politicians are currently the Number One Culprit but bosses, parents, teachers, cops, lawyers, even friends and spouses share time on the list. To everyone who bellyaches about things large and small, […]
Continue ReadingThe Joy of Learning When You Feel Stuck
Most people hate getting stuck. Whether it’s a problem at work, home or school, or being physically stuck in bad weather or traffic, immobility is irritating. We don’t like being stymied and held down, so a natural reaction is to buck against whatever seems to be constraining us. Which often makes matters worse. Remember the […]
Continue ReadingThe Process of Moving Oneself From Fatigue to Accomplishment
It is the winter of our discontent in Wisconsin where relentless snow, frigid temperatures and dangerous driving conditions are daily fare. I’m an optimist by nature and even I’m getting cranky. I’m tired of shoveling snow, maintaining my balance on icy sidewalks, narrowly missing accidents on snow covered and slippery roadways, and dealing with people […]
Continue ReadingCoping Skills For a World Spinning Out of Control
We live in an age of high drama, insatiable media appetites, and incredible pharmacological advances. What do you get when you put all these together in a 24-hour global society? A world that appears to be spinning out of control. A world in which oddballs become famous, kids get medicated if they’re too rowdy, and […]
Continue ReadingWhat’s Between the Ears and Behind the Eyes Is Most Important
I’m a product of the 60s (sort of–I was a grade school kid), so I’m well schooled in the emergence and impact of The Sexual Revolution. Women on birth control became bolder in making their desires and availability known; men were cagily advised not to buy the cow when the milk was free. All hell […]
Continue ReadingHow What You Say Exposes Who You Are
Not a week goes by that someone doesn’t say something stupid, then act surprised when they’re called on it. Words are powerful reflectors of what’s inside a person. And since our society has removed almost all barriers of decorum and appropriateness when it comes to saying what’s on our minds, some people reveal a lot […]
Continue ReadingWhy Self-control Must Be a Standard for a Safe Society
A young sheriff’s deputy in a small town kills six and injures another before being shot and killed himself. It’s another grim story that causes shock, sorrow, a lot of conversation, and… then what? Some people have yet to hear of this incident, caught up as they are in their daily struggles to get ahead. […]
Continue ReadingThe Rewards of Building Your Confidence is Life Changing
I recently taped a radio program during which the host asked what I mean when I refer to “backbone.” We hear the word used in many different contexts and although most of us have a sense of what it means, we’re hard-pressed to define it. As the author of “How to Grow a Backbone,” here’s […]
Continue Reading