Author Archives: RealityCheck

Reality Check: Manufacturing Outrage

We could choose to deliberately shield ourselves from the world. However, most of us don’t. Thus, we are exposed to news items, study results, and opinions that you’d almost suspect were designed to provoke outrage in any “reasonable person.” One … Continue reading

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Reality Check: The Value of Taking the High Road

In this continuing series on helpful values that seldom make the news, this column’s value is “taking the high road.” Does that get the tune for The Bonnie Banks of Loch Lomond running through your mind? You might express this … Continue reading

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Reality Check: The Value of Reducing Waste

Last column, I suggested that being aware of your values can help you make choices that lead you toward the life that you want. We looked at the value of persistence; now let’s look at the value of “reducing waste.” … Continue reading

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Reality Check: New Year’s Values

It’s the traditional season to make promises to ourselves: how we’ll change our lives, what we will achieve, what disciplines we will force on ourselves… While each day is as valuable as another, taking stock of life at New Year’s … Continue reading

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Reality Check: Fume or Fun?

Some situations seem to call for obvious reactions. However, even when we think there’s only one logical response, there are often many options available for our choosing. How can we figure out which choice is most effective? Doris’s husband, Bob, … Continue reading

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Reality Check: Stewing on a Setback

If the word “stew” only brings to mind that tasty dish from a crockpot, you’re fortunate! For many, stewing means worrying, and it’s often over something completely out of one’s control.  Everybody has setbacks, and it can be mighty difficult … Continue reading

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Reality Check: Esteem Essentials

Can you raise someone’s self-esteem? Perhaps more to the point, can you (or anyone) lower someone’s self-esteem? The choice theory view is that we can’t make anyone (other than ourselves) happy, sad, angry, or anything else; each of us does … Continue reading

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Reality Check: The Happiness Choice

The William Glasser organization just launched a website called Mental Health & Happiness at www.mentalhealthandhappiness.com Associating mental health with happiness may not make sense if your picture of happiness is giddy laughter, personal indulgence, or fantastic luck. If so, you … Continue reading

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Reality Check: Young People Today…

How would you finish the phrase, “Young people today…”? A frequent theme is, “Young people today don’t want to work,” or “Young people today can’t handle money,” or “Young people today expect to be taken care of.” That criticism often … Continue reading

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Reality Check: The Other Toxin

If you pay attention to health-related matters, then you’ve heard of toxins. Whether in air, food, or water, toxins are often suspected of causing disease. There’s another toxin that can have a significant impact on one’s life: the toxic relationship! … Continue reading

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