Tag Archives: examining wants

Reality Check: I Never Looked at “No” That Way

If we make a habit of seeking out information, we may occasionally find something that prompts us to think, “Huh! I never looked at it that way.” This came to my mind recently when I read an article by James … Continue reading

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Reality Check: Choosing Our Perceptions

Would your life be different if you could control your emotions? You could decide, “I’m choosing to be happy, confident, optimistic!” Or, “I’m choosing to be angry, anxious, resentful.” Either way, with this power, you’d have control over how you … Continue reading

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Reality Check: Placing the Big Rock First

Like many others at this time, I’m taking down the Christmas tree and packing away decorations. Among them are a set of straw ornaments of various shapes; I enjoy them particularly for their non-breakable quality. They go into their matching … Continue reading

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Reality Check: Relationship Mistakes

Charles Schulz, of Peanuts fame, said something along the lines of, “I thought I made a mistake once, but I was wrong.” Until a few minutes ago, I believed that joke had originated with my family. Then I checked. Sure … 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: The Attentive Gardener

“The best fertilizer is the footsteps of the gardener.” Why? What is it about a gardener’s footsteps that would help a garden grow? While I fall far short from being an enthusiastic gardener, even I know that it’s hard to … Continue reading

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Reality Check: The Quest For What You Want

What do you want? Is that a question worth thinking about? Some believe it’s selfish to think about what we want. Others see it as futile; if you believe you can’t get what you want, why bother asking? Yet “wants” … Continue reading

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Reality Check: Having Trouble Getting Started?

Wait, delay, and put it off. For some people, procrastination is practically an identity, as in, “I’ve always been a procrastinator and that’s just who I am.” This is fine, until it’s not. Putting off can ultimately result in poor … 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: Are You Afraid That You’re Missing Out?

The phrase “fear of missing out” is so well-known that it has its own acronym: FOMO. Don’t fret if you hadn’t heard that before. You didn’t miss out on anything. Not really. However, if you’re a person who hates to … Continue reading

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