Tag Archives: discouragement

Reality Check: Choosing Your Surroundings

Posted on January 28, 2024 by RealityCheck

It’s the dead of winter. Snow is falling, cold winds are blowing; there is ice wherever you want to walk. In the midst of this dull and often non-productive time, an amaryllis bulb that I’ve had for years is starting … Continue reading →

Posted in Choosing Perspective | Tagged anxiety, choosing influences, choosing thoughts, discouragement, happiness | Comments Off

Reality Check: Doing the Hard Thing

Posted on January 7, 2024 by RealityCheck

Tis the season! Christmas and New Year’s is a special time of the year. It’s a time of joy and goodwill, when family and friends get together to celebrate, indulge in good food, give gifts and share laughs. Strangers extend … Continue reading →

Posted in Choosing Behaviour | Tagged choosing actions, discouragement, perception, persistence | Comments Off

Reality Check: Even If…

Posted on November 26, 2023 by RealityCheck

Allen’s story is one that’s experienced in many families. His mother isn’t doing well. His dad is terrified by the inevitable changes that are coming. Allen has moved so he can be with his parents and take care of the … Continue reading →

Posted in Choosing Perspective | Tagged anxiety, blame, choosing thoughts, discouragement, perception | Comments Off

Reality Check: Fast or Slow?

Posted on September 3, 2023 by RealityCheck

As I was working on a project that hasn’t been proceeding as quickly and smoothly as I would like, I received an emailed newsletter. Now, here’s something that both you and I know about work. When doing a task that … Continue reading →

Posted in Choosing Behaviour | Tagged discouragement, encouragement, motivation, priorities | Comments Off

Reality Check: Gifts and Earned Successes

Posted on November 13, 2022 by RealityCheck

For some folks, a favourite activity is comparing themselves with others. Who has the best car? The nicer house? The most friends on facebook? Keeping score can pass the time, but I don’t believe that it helps make one’s life … Continue reading →

Posted in Choosing Perspective | Tagged blame, comparing with others, discouragement, gratitude, happiness, perception | Comments Off

Reality Check: Is it Overwork? Or Discouragement?

Posted on October 9, 2022 by RealityCheck

If you’re feeling dissatisfied, can you put your finger on the cause? It might be harder than you’d think. For example, regardless of one’s stage in life, a common dissatisfaction is perceiving that one is overworked. Too much to do; … Continue reading →

Posted in Choosing Perspective | Tagged "should", discouragement, need satisfaction, responsibility, work | Comments Off

Reality Check: For the Hundredth Time

Posted on September 25, 2022 by RealityCheck

Are you persistent? Or are you stubborn? It takes wisdom to tell the difference between that positive attribute (persistence) and the negative one (stubbornness, also known as pig-headedness!) Let’s say we’re trying something new: perhaps it’s poetry-writing, cabinet-making, or Spanish-speaking. … Continue reading →

Posted in Choosing Perspective | Tagged choosing thoughts, discouragement, persistence, priorities, self-evaluation | Comments Off

Reality Check: Baggage Handling

Posted on August 7, 2022 by RealityCheck

When we’re young and excited about accumulating stuff, it’s hard to imagine that someday, we’ll view those once-precious objects that we struggled to acquire as just taking up space. The more room we have for stuff, the more stuff we … Continue reading →

Posted in Choosing Perspective | Tagged choosing thoughts, discouragement, examining wants, making choices, perception | Comments Off

Reality Check: The “En” and “Dis” of Courage

Posted on July 17, 2022 by RealityCheck

In Take Charge of Your Life, Dr. William Glasser lists seven relationship-building habits. One of those habits—encouragement—has popped up in these columns numerous times over the years. Notice how “en-courage” and “dis-courage” both involve “courage.” One increases courage; the other … Continue reading →

Posted in Helping Others | Tagged discouragement, encouragement, offering information, perception, responsibility | Comments Off

Reality Check: The State of Stuck

Posted on June 27, 2022 by RealityCheck

When you’re thinking about places you’d like to visit, I suspect that the State of Stuck isn’t on your list. For one thing, it’s not even a place; it’s a state of mind. What I’m calling the State of Stuck … Continue reading →

Posted in Control and Choice | Tagged choosing actions, choosing influences, choosing thoughts, discouragement, motivation | Comments Off