Tag Archives: conflict

Reality Check: How Do You Know You’ve Understood?

Do you ever feel misunderstood? I’ll hazard a guess that the answer is “yes.” If that’s true, then it’s also likely that other people feel misunderstood, too. Why? One answer is that some communication methods are more effective than others. … Continue reading

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Reality Check: Helpful and Unhelpful Conversations

People talk. We often take it for granted, but the fact that we are able to communicate really is one of the delights of being human. It enables us to learn, create, innovate, and express emotion. Our communication is not … Continue reading

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Reality Check: Instead of Head-Banging…

You may have heard that “customer service ain’t what it used to be.” This may be true. While I’m not convinced that poor service is universal, I’ve certainly heard anecdotes that indicate appalling lack of care. It’s enough to make … Continue reading

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Reality Check: I Wonder…

Are you dealing with a challenging problem now? Do you see one coming up in the future? Or maybe you’ve recently resolved a problem. Problems are pretty common, so it’s not unusual to be in one of those boats at … Continue reading

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Reality Check: When We Make A Change

The scenario outlined in my recent column on people-pleasing prompted comments from readers who agree—in that situation, it would be helpful if the people-pleaser made some changes. When we’re in a relationship where one person attempts to control the other, … Continue reading

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Reality Check: When We Lose Power

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

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Reality Check: Negotiating Differences in a Relationship

The seventh and final caring habit in Dr. Glasser’s list of caring habits is “always negotiating disagreements,” which I refer to as negotiating differences. It might seem odd to think of negotiations when we’re talking about personal relationships. Negotiating sounds … Continue reading

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Reality Check: Acceptance of Reality as a Caring Habit

Some people’s lives seem naturally filled with good, close relationships while others have a difficult time getting along with anyone. I certainly don’t have an easy answer for why these disparities exist. We only have control over some things. Thus, … Continue reading

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Reality Check: When You Need To Say No

Somewhere, sometime, someone is going to ask you for something. They may ask for your time, your help, your money. You want to say “No.” There are many valid reasons to decline. Maybe you feel stretched too thin. Maybe you … Continue reading

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Reality Check: And the Word of the Year is…

Each year, Merriam-Webster—the dictionary people—declare a “Word of the Year” based on data about how frequently words were looked up. For 2022, the word is “gaslighting.” If you’re not familiar with gaslighting, Merriam-Webster defines it as “the act or practice … Continue reading

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