Tag Archives: blame

Reality Check: The Benefit of the Doubt

We never really know what’s going on inside someone else’s head, do we? Even among the people closest to us—our friends and family—we can have misunderstandings. For example, your friend says something you perceive to be offensive; later you realize … Continue reading

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Reality Check: Gratitude, Expectation, and Entitlement

“A whole dollar and seventy-six cents! What an insult! I should tell them to take their money and let them know right where to put it, too!” Whether you work for an hourly wage or a salary, receive a pension … Continue reading

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Reality Check: If your past was a yard sale…

Even if you don’t love yard sales or flea markets, you probably know someone who does. While frugality is some of the incentive, for the passionate yard-salers, much of the joy comes from the hunt. The thrill of the hunt … Continue reading

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Reality Check: Happiness and Self-Responsibility

Self-responsibility. In some circles, it’s practically a dirty word. It seems that a cold and frightening picture comes to mind for some folks when they hear that there’s a move afoot to promote self-reliance as a useful skill. It’s as … Continue reading

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Reality Check: Do you want to keep the hurt alive?

Have you ever been hurt? Probably so. I think that it’s the rare person who makes it through life without feeling that someone has done them wrong at some point. This series of columns is intended to provide suggestions to … Continue reading

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Reality Check: Bears, Breakdowns & Choice Theory

The anecdotes and characters in my columns are usually composite characters and fictionalized situations. However, occasionally, I do write about an actual situation or person (after asking permission, of course.) Such is the case for this column, where the behaviour … Continue reading

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Reality Check: Relationships and the Power Need

Last time, I suggested that a marriage where both people have a high need for power and low need for love and belonging may present challenges. However, that doesn’t mean that such a couple is doomed to a life of … Continue reading

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Reality Check: Building a Happier Marriage

Fundamental to choice theory is its emphasis on our basic human need for love and belonging. One way we attempt to satisfy that need is through marriage. The idea of marriage is great. Two people publicly declare their love and … Continue reading

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Reality Check: Any Given Day

For many folks, the New Year triggers self-evaluation. We look back at what went well (or badly) and look forward—perhaps with resolutions—to the year ahead. What will I do differently? New Year’s resolutions can be effective, but more often than … Continue reading

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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

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