Category Archives: Choosing Behaviour

Reality Check: Structure for a Satisfying Life

Posted on January 12, 2019 by RealityCheck

The upside of dissatisfaction is that it can be a useful motivator to drive improvement. That’s grasping at straws to find a positive spin, isn’t it? Seriously though, if we had no dissatisfaction, why would we ever improve? One area … Continue reading →

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Reality Check: Choosing Happiness from your Money

Posted on December 3, 2018 by RealityCheck

There are many more important things than money: health, family, relationships, personal growth, just to name a few. Money isn’t even mentioned in the choice theory list of five basic needs: security/survival, love/belonging, power, freedom, and fun. However, while money … Continue reading →

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Reality Check: Greater Expectations

Posted on November 12, 2018 by RealityCheck

I’d caught the tail end of a conversation about math scores and a possible connection with the practice of moving students along in grade level regardless of whether they’ve mastered skills. It’s possible that I misunderstood. I’m sure what I … Continue reading →

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Reality Check: Your Menu Choices

Posted on November 4, 2018 by RealityCheck

If you want something to grow, it’s generally a good idea to feed it. Don’t want more? Then don’t feed it. That reasoning seems to hold true for the waistline; what if we apply it to emotions? Noreen looks back … Continue reading →

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Reality Check: The Available Choices

Posted on September 17, 2018 by RealityCheck

Are you ever in a situation where you have no good choices? It’s especially difficult if you can picture the perfect choice. You wish that option was available; you might even mislead yourself into believing it exists, when in fact, … Continue reading →

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Reality Check: Indecision, Imperfection, and Kale

Posted on August 13, 2018 by RealityCheck

My plan this year was to plant a nice bed of kale. I envisioned a continuous supply of fresh kale for lovely, nutritious salads. Buying the kale seeds was easy. But I couldn’t decide where to plant them. It was … Continue reading →

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Reality Check: Relaxation and Everyday Anxiety

Posted on July 8, 2018 by RealityCheck

Last time, I mentioned that Dr. Martin Seligman has a couple of suggestions to lower everyday anxiety levels. One is progressive relaxation, also known as progressive muscle relaxation. This technique is hardly new; apparently first described nearly a hundred years … Continue reading →

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Reality Check: Influencers, Helpers, and Heroes

Posted on March 18, 2018 by RealityCheck

We may never know the effect of extending a small kindness. In fact, we could perform a genuinely heroic act and never learn the result. We may not even know whether anyone noticed. Being helpful and kind is more satisfying … Continue reading →

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Reality Check: Going My Way?

Posted on March 4, 2018 by RealityCheck

Things don’t always go my way. It’s possible that things don’t always go your way, either. Given that’s the reality, how do we deal with it? What responses are effective when we are faced with the inevitable disappointments, perceived unfairnesses, … Continue reading →

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Reality Check: We can do it!

Posted on February 18, 2018 by RealityCheck

What does encouragement look like? Think way back and picture the poster of Rosie the Riveter. That’s one picture of encouragement—Rosie’s determined face under the slogan, “We can do it!” with her sleeves rolled up and her muscles flexed. The … Continue reading →

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