I sit with couples on a regular basis who argue and fight. They tell about their conflicts at home and they frequently live those conflicts out in my office. Fortunately, when they are sitting with me, I am often able to redirect them or get them to pause their thinking and consider other possibilities. When…
Details
I feel as though I am in the weeds today. What do I mean by that? Do you ever plan your day or your week, expecting to make great headway on your meaningful and significant goals – only to get derailed? Perhaps you are checking your email and you come across one that winds up…
Details
The answer for a lot of people is probably, “I don’t know. I try not to get outside of my comfort zone.” If that is really true, then we are probably not doing much growing. But think for a minute – “What is outside of your safe space?” A common one for people is public…
Details
Recently, in my Tuesday morning Men’s group, we viewed a video by author Tim Keller. He was talking about the journey of the Israelites to the promised land and pointed out that there were two distinct groups of people. The first group of people were those who left the slavery of Egypt. They saw the…
Details
I remember when this phrase was all the rage as part of an advertising campaign for “The National Enquirer Magazine.” And I can’t help but remember that phrase when I think about healthy relationships. You see, one of the hallmarks of healthy marriages is having an inquisitive mind when it comes to your mate. Whether…
Details
Now you may be thinking that I’m talking about some kind of self-care, such as getting enough sleep, eating healthy, exercising regularly, meditating, and so on. However, that is not where I’m headed today. Actually, I want to look at how we take care of and prepare for our future selves. I recently had an…
Details
In a quote from a Fortune Magazine article, William H. Whyte said, “The great enemy of communication is the illusion of it.” That is an excellent picture of what so many individuals fall prey to. Your spouse wants you to communicate, so you make every effort to talk more with them. However, even though you…
Details
Last time, we began to look at how we can become more effective at setting our future selves up for greater success – and that principle is true whether we are talking about careers, finances, relationships, retirement, and so on. I have counseled so many clients who live with regrets: “I regret not finishing college…
Details
Remember when you were dating your future spouse and you seemed to agree on everything? You wanted two children and so did he. You both liked Italian food, wanted to travel, enjoyed hiking, and had the same spiritual goals. Nothing could be better. However, once you got married, you discovered that you weren’t quite as…
Details
You may be wondering what I mean by “Where you’re planted.” So, allow me to elaborate. I have encountered many people who are always “going to grow – someday.” They may be thinking – “I can’t reach my potential in this company.” Or, “This city will never be home. I am pining for my roots…
Details