Category Archives: How it is sometimes

Reality Check: The Most Basic Need of All

Posted on April 15, 2023 by RealityCheck

In recent columns, I’ve explored four of the five basic needs that Dr. Glasser suggested are common to all of us. Among those needs is the need for love and belonging. We need to know that we are not alone … Continue reading →

Posted in Needs | Tagged basic needs, need satisfaction | Comments Off

Reality Check: When We Lose Power

Posted on April 8, 2023 by RealityCheck

Dr. Wm. Glasser included power in his list of five basic human needs. As the word “power” can be interpreted in different ways, first let’s consider what power might mean here. I don’t know how you spend your vacation, but … Continue reading →

Posted in Power | Tagged basic needs, conflict, motivation, power | Comments Off

Reality Check: For the Fun of It

Posted on April 1, 2023 by RealityCheck

Are you serious about having fun? Or do you consider fun to be frivolous? Do you treat fun like dessert, saving it for after all the serious business has been handled? Then, if there’s time, maybe you’ll have the opportunity … Continue reading →

Posted in Needs | Tagged basic needs, fun, learning, need satisfaction | Comments Off

Reality Check: The Need to be Free

Posted on March 25, 2023 by RealityCheck

Here in the “true north strong and free,” you might think that everybody understands freedom. According to Dr. Glasser’s choice theory, we all have some level of the need for freedom. We may all have the need, but there are … Continue reading →

Posted in Freedom... | Tagged basic needs, examining wants, freedom, need satisfaction | Comments Off

Reality Check: Our Most Basic Needs

Posted on March 5, 2023 by RealityCheck

Are there more incidents of unhappiness now than ever before? The pandemic and the changes that accompanied it can certainly give that impression. There are plenty of stories. Some—about celebrities or strangers—appear in the media. But you may also be … Continue reading →

Posted in Needs | Tagged basic needs, examining wants, happiness, hope, need satisfaction | Comments Off

Reality Check: To Fill a Caring Gap

Posted on February 13, 2022 by RealityCheck

When we’re not able to satisfy our basic needs, we’re unhappy. So I proposed examining our needs. Find out whether our needs are being met. If not, where are the gaps? You may be thinking, it’s all well and good … Continue reading →

Posted in Belonging | Tagged gratitude, happiness, improving relationships, need satisfaction | Comments Off

Reality Check: Mixed Messages

Posted on September 5, 2021 by RealityCheck

We have lots of ways to communicate. We use words, of course, both written and spoken. But we also communicate through facial expressions, tone, and actions. If you’re not sure how we communicate using actions, think about the message sent … Continue reading →

Posted in How it is sometimes | Tagged "should", anxiety, basic needs, need satisfaction | Comments Off

Reality Check: You’re probably not alone…

Posted on October 8, 2017 by RealityCheck

“So much paperwork. And it’s all so confusing.” That’s Wanda’s description of her plight right now. She’s entering a stage of life where changes must be made. Many of those changes involve finances. Thus, they involve paperwork, meetings, and decisions. … Continue reading →

Posted in How it is sometimes | Tagged basic needs, need satisfaction, worry | Comments Off

Reality Check: Blue Day Defenses

Posted on August 20, 2017 by RealityCheck

Ever had a blue day? No? You can skip this column, then. However, if “blue day” is sadly recognizable for you, read on. Our actions affect our feelings, so if you are feeling down and you don’t like that feeling, … Continue reading →

Posted in How it is sometimes | Tagged choosing actions, comparing with others, unhappiness | Comments Off

Reality Check: The Meltdown

Posted on May 14, 2017 by RealityCheck

A thousand miles away, my usually sunny friend—she who chooses the most positive possible interpretation of everything—had a meltdown. It’s understandable. She’s been living with the reality of several family members diagnosed with cancers. Then, her mom took a tumble … Continue reading →

Posted in How it is sometimes | Tagged "should", anxiety, need satisfaction, offering information, responsibility | Comments Off