“When happiness shows up always give it a comfortable seat.” – Charles Dickens Neuroscientists have repeatedly demonstrated that the more we reinforce thinking in our brains, the stronger those connections become. For example, re-experiencing a trauma can lead to irrational but paralyzing fears. It is interesting to notice how things like insults, discouragement, or bitterness…
DetailsTexting and smart phones have brought the world to our fingertips in so many ways. While our parents didn’t have access to these tools growing up – “for better or worse,” we do. They are now a source of both communication and distraction. One research study discovered that nearly 20% of couples feel closer to…
DetailsIn the 21st century we have become an entitled group of people. We see it in schools, in the work place, and even in our intimate relationships. We expect. We expect that you will be on time, we expect that you will pick-up my cleaning, we expect that you will fix dinner, mow the lawn,…
DetailsIf you are a fan of The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, you have probably seen his sketch “Thank You Notes.” In this he often pays tribute to all kinds of unsung people, places and things. And no doubt, being mentioned on national TV is libel to be greatly appreciated. Think about when you have…
Details“How come David gets a bigger piece of cake than I do. That’s not fair.” “It’s her turn. I had to unload the dish washer last time. That’s not fair.” We have all heard our children make these kind of statements because they think everything should be fair. We often just chalk up their complaining…
DetailsA few months ago I heard a speaker talk about his years of pastoring a church in Arkansas. During his time there, he had a gentleman in the church who was a Fish and Games Official. This came in pretty handy as this official would periodically call him to tell him where they had recently…
DetailsAs I sat in my office yesterday, a couple recounted an argument that they had on Valentine’s Day (Not the best day to argue). In actuality, they were both attempting to make the day romantic and special, but somehow managed to miscommunicate something that should have been minor and easily cleared up. But it wasn’t.…
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How would you sum up what a great apology looks like? You probably want it to be sincere, but what else? There are certainly things that can cancel out an apology. For example, if someone has deeply hurt you and they toss a flippant “Sorree,” your way, I doubt that you feel any better. You…
DetailsIt is your child’s birthday. You have purchased a new bike that he has been talking and dreaming about non-stop. But first you bring out his favorite cake with candles lit and ready for him to blow out. He proclaims, “I love this kind of cake. Thank you. This is great!” You respond with, “You’re…
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What? Can that be real?” Well, according biologist Andrew Steel, medical science is making progress on that very subject. He has written about the field of biogerontology, examining emerging treatments that range from new drugs that can clear out old cells to gene therapies that can actually fix damaged DNA. Steel has found people’s response…
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