Reality Check: Positive Physical Activity

Posted on May 25, 2026 by RealityCheck

If you ever have the feeling that you need to “pull yourself together,” then it would be handy to have a procedure to follow, wouldn’t it?
Dr. Bob Wubbolding wrote a set of directions for doing just that. He called it “A Set of Directions for Putting and Keeping Yourself Together,” which I’ve been exploring over the past few columns.
So far, he’s suggested that we start by accepting our current reality (not necessarily surrendering, but accepting). Then we make the deliberate decision to take positive action, both for ourselves and for others.
Dr. Bob’s next direction is called “Positive (Healthful) Physical Activity.” While lots of actions involve some physical activity, it’s interesting that he puts this in its own category. Continue reading →

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Reality Check: What is a Positive Action?

Posted on May 18, 2026 by RealityCheck

If you decide to follow through with Dr. Bob Wubbolding’s steps in, “A Set of Directions for Putting and Keeping Yourself Together,” then you may have already made some progress!
First, you’ll have assessed your current reality. That is, you’ve taken a serious look at how things are. You may not like it, but you do accept it.
Next, you make a deliberate decision to act. Great! But act how? Continue reading →

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Reality Check: To Make a Deliberate Decision

Posted on May 11, 2026 by RealityCheck

Last time, I referred to “accept your current reality” as the first step offered by Dr. Bob Wubbolding in, “A Set of Directions for Putting and Keeping Yourself Together.” We have to start somewhere, and current reality is the place, isn’t it?
Now let’s say that we’ve all looked at our current reality. What did we see? My guess is that some of it is satisfying, some neutral, and quite possibly, some areas are unsatisfying. Now what? Continue reading →

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Reality Check: The Current Reality

Posted on May 4, 2026 by RealityCheck

Dr. Bob Wubbolding is the author of a short, delightful book called “A Set of Directions for Putting and Keeping Yourself Together.” It looks like a child’s book with its cartoon-like pictures, big print, short sentences. But looks can be deceiving. This is a serious work, written by a serious scholar who was the former Director of Training of the William Glasser Institute.
His message is simple: he’s providing a do-it-yourself guide to help people “put themselves together.” That is, to feel better, be happier, get along with others, meet needs more effectively, and increase self-esteem. As if that’s not enough, meaning and purpose is mentioned too! Continue reading →

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Reality Check: The Shifting Sands of Wants

Posted on April 27, 2026 by RealityCheck

What do you want? What do you really, really want? Some people don’t like to think about what they want. They believe that it’s selfish, or so unattainable that it’s depressing to think about it. Maybe we believe there is so much going on; we can’t be bothered with thinking about what we want.
Yet, the first word, the “W” in the WDEP process for Reality Therapy, is Want. What do I want? Does it matter? Of course it does. Otherwise, how will you know when you have it? Continue reading →

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Reality Check: A Little Encouragement; Big Results

Posted on April 20, 2026 by RealityCheck

We can get news from all over the world. Some good; some awful. Along with current events, we also get information about what others are doing. That news often includes their notable accomplishments and tremendous success.
Like so much of what we see and read, we can perceive these stories in different ways. We could use them as powerful inspirations: this is what other people do, even in more difficult circumstances than ours. We might see an accomplishment story and be motivated to say, “Hey! If they can do this, so can I!” These examples can be effective motivators to spur action on our part.
And then, there is another way of looking. Continue reading →

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Reality Check: Does Worry Have an Upside?

Posted on April 13, 2026 by RealityCheck

Unpleasant emotions. Do you ever experience them? Sadness, anger, resentment… I suspect you can easily come up with a list of feelings you’d happily do without.
Worry may be on your list. You might think of it as anxiety, concern, or something else. No matter what you call it, it’s that ominous feeling that something bad is going to happen, there’s probably nothing you can do about it, but you can’t get it out of your head. Continue reading →

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Reality Check: The Generosity of Not Taking Offense

Posted on April 6, 2026 by RealityCheck

Ask anyone, “Is it good to be generous?” I think most would say yes; generosity is a desirable trait. To be seen as being mean and selfish is insulting.
Generosity isn’t only about money or material goods. People who give of their time or their knowledge are also showing generosity. Someone who provides encouragement or even a listening ear demonstrates generosity too.
James Clear, the author of “Atomic Habits,” suggests different ways of looking at generosity. This example caught my attention: Continue reading →

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Reality Check: Great Expectations

Posted on March 30, 2026 by RealityCheck

An acquaintance suggested that I watch a new documentary. I respect his opinion and the topic sounded interesting, so I had great expectations.
When a rainy day finally came along and I took the opportunity to watch it, I was disappointed. As the ending credits rolled, I thought, “There’s an hour of my life I won’t get back.”
However, there was a useful outcome;
Continue reading →

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Reality Check: Evaluation Time

Posted on March 23, 2026 by RealityCheck

Specific words can evoke strong emotions, and for some people, the word “evaluation” is one of them.
What comes to your mind when you hear “evaluation”? Does it remind you of school days, of teachers constantly evaluating your work? (perhaps with disappointing findings?)
Or maybe you associate evaluation with the workplace. Here, we have managers or other people in positions of authority who let us know, often in a formal meeting, whether we are measuring up. Or not. Continue reading →

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