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Welcome to Reality Check:
articles and observations inspired by the work of Dr. William GlasserCategories
Category Archives: Relationships
Reality Check: Feeling Unappreciated?
Have you ever felt as if you give and give and give, yet receive little appreciation in return? Neighbours Sara and Michelle are different: Michelle gregarious and fun-loving, Sara introspective and serious. Despite their differences, they are content as neighbours, … Continue reading
Posted in Relationships
Tagged examining wants, frustration, need satisfaction, perception
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Reality Check: The Scorekeeping Relationship
Last time, I made a case for keeping score in our lives. Keeping track of data about how we spend our time, what we do with our money, or even how much we eat can be helpful. It provides us … Continue reading
Posted in Relationships
Tagged "should", comparing with others, fairness, improving relationships
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Reality Check: Better Left Unsaid?
Communication is generally recognized as being essential to the development of satisfying relationships. I’m not just talking about romantic relationships here. All kinds of relationships: friends, work-related, parent-child, student-teacher, benefit when people can communicate effectively. Did you notice the word … Continue reading
Posted in Relationships
Tagged criticism, frustration, improving relationships
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Reality Check: Friendly Support
“You can choose your friends but you can’t choose your family!” As we can, indeed, choose our friends, it makes sense that friendship would be supportive, encouraging, and helpful for both people. But that’s not always the case. Some friend … Continue reading
Posted in Relationships
Tagged "should", improving relationships, offering information
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Reality Check: The Give and Take of Communication
There are so many communication pitfalls that it’s amazing that we can communicate at all! It’s not that we can’t make ourselves heard, rather, it’s the understanding /being understood part that’s so problematic. Rebecca has a hard time communicating with … Continue reading
Posted in Relationships
Tagged "should", blame, improving relationships, perception
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Reality Check: A Sustainable Relationship
Sustainability. It’s a popular word now, and its relevance is not limited to trees and trash. Thinking about sustainability implies thinking long term. For example, consider a sustainably-harvested woodlot. What do you see? Some trees ready for harvest, some left … Continue reading
Posted in Relationships
Tagged improving relationships, offering information, perception
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Reality Check: Their Good News
How do you respond when someone tells you their good news? In his book Flourish, Martin Seligman describes four ways of responding, and suggests that only one of those ways is helpful for relationship building. Let’s look at an example. … Continue reading
Posted in Relationships
Tagged criticism, happiness, improving relationships
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Reality Check: Boundaries and Disputes
Boundaries can create cause for dispute. Sometimes, however, setting a boundary can be an effective way to diffuse a dispute. Emma has endured criticism from her mother all her life. In her youthful rush to get married and away from … Continue reading
Posted in Relationships
Tagged confidence, improving relationships, internal & external control
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Reality Check: Lots on your Plate?
Busy, busy, busy. Ask most anyone how they are doing and you’ll often hear, “I’m so busy!” What are some potential consequences of that busy-ness? Harriet cares for a very sick child, looks after an elderly aunt, and has a … Continue reading
Posted in Relationships
Tagged guilt, improving relationships, perception
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