Author Archives: RealityCheck

Reality Check: Grumbling and Gratitudes

Has anyone done you wrong at any point in your life? I suspect that it’s a rare person who could answer, “No.” For most, at some point, someone did not treat us well. Have you also noticed that many grievances … Continue reading

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Reality Check: Do You Feel Appreciated?

Knowing that we are genuinely appreciated is satisfying. From a choice theory perspective, we might say that appreciation satisfies our need for power, recognition, esteem. Regardless of how we analyze it, appreciation feels good. I sincerely hope that you have … Continue reading

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Reality Check: Urgency and Importance

As we approach the end of a second unusual year, people are making plans for the holidays. So much is so different now. There are decisions to make about gatherings, purchases, and traditions. How do you decide what to do? … Continue reading

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Reality Check: Lost for Words?

Some people instinctively know the right thing to say in difficult situations. And then there are the rest of us; we who struggle to find words when the going gets tough. Sadness, illness or loss will likely visit us and … Continue reading

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Reality Check: Adapting for the Future

If you gained two pounds last weekend, will you weigh a hundred pounds more in a year? Look ahead twenty years. At that rate, you’ve expanded by 2000 pounds! That wouldn’t be a ton of fun, would it? We know … Continue reading

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Reality Check: When We Share Stories

Our culture includes so many forms of story-sharing. There are documentaries, movies, books, TED talks, and so on. We share stories of difficulties, actions, triumphs and disasters, both truth and fiction. Do you share stories of your life? Do you … Continue reading

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Reality Check: Can We Choose Our Response?

Travelling can be difficult at the best of times. As these times aren’t exactly the best of times, opportunities for difficulties are even higher now. Here’s a travel story; it’s about choices. For months, a friend we’ll call Emma has … Continue reading

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Reality Check: I’d Rather Choose…

One of the tips from a popular money-management book entitled “The Smart Cookies” is something the authors refer to as the “Rather Factor.” It’s easy to forget a budget when we are faced with an appealing impulse purchase. After we’ve … Continue reading

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Reality Check: To-Dos and Purpose

How’s your to-do list? Does it motivate you by giving you purpose and direction? Or is it more like a collection of chores—a hamster wheel that demands lots of effort to keep going round and round but doesn’t seem to … Continue reading

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Reality Check: You and Me Against the Problem

Just when everything seemed to be going well, Amy got a wakeup call. It was a “heart incident,” and it demanded that she turn her attention toward aspects of her life that she had neglected. You probably know the drill. … Continue reading

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