Last time we began to explore commitment and what that might look like. In defining commitment we saw that it is both a dedication to someone but it also restricts our freedom. While restricting our freedom may at first seem like a negative, it really isn’t. I used the example of marrying my wife. When…
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So, I wonder – how would you define commitment? If you ask five different people their definition of commitment, you are likely to get five different answers. For example, when I examined one source, it gave two somewhat opposite definitions. On one hand it stated that it is a state of being dedicated. Well, that…
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Your first thoughts may be, “Of course I’m not good enough. Most people are way more accomplished than I am.” And with that begins a journey of feeling inadequate, less than, and perhaps even a bit of a failure. Last time I wrote about the dangers of comparing ourselves to others on social media. This…
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The answer may be – Yes. A study from 2021 found that for a vast number of individuals using Instagram, felt worse about themselves, which contributed to increased depression and anxiety. This was in part from people constantly comparing and evaluating themselves in relationship to others. The study found (this won’t sound too profound), that…
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I continue to marvel on a daily basis that humans are even able to communicate. To take a thought in my head, that is wrapped in my context and experiences – put those thoughts into words – send them out into the air – you hear the words and funnel them through the filter of…
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Life can be very full and very busy. We can be occupied with going to the gym, raising kids, working in our kid’s classroom, cleaning the house, working a full-time job, and the list goes on and on. It is easy to be so focused on all of the demands of the day and striving…
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Now while your first thought might be, “I don’t have any expectations in my relationships,” as you give it a little thought, I believe that you probably do. For example, if you are married, you most likely began the marriage assuming some things with regard to: how money would be managed; how much time you…
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It was not that long ago that a read an intriguing article, Which Generation Has The Best Marriages? by Haydin Shaw. For my purposes here I simply want to look at the strengths different generations have to offer one another when it comes to marriage. The Traditionalists (Born before 1946) This group of couples value…
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While I have been in the counseling field for over 25 years, I don’t believe that I have ever seen so many of my clients experiencing feelings of anxiety and isolation. Prior to the COVID pandemic, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services reported that 20% of Americans felt isolated and lonely. The report…
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What? There’s a problem with independence? Our country was founded on this concept – we even have The Declaration of Independence. How can that not be good? Don’t get me wrong – independence is a wonderful idea in so many ways. But sometimes it can inhibit a healthy relationship. While individuals in a marriage certainly…
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