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Welcome to Reality Check:
articles and observations inspired by the work of Dr. William GlasserCategories
Tag Archives: happiness
Reality Check: Getting in the Mood
Are we prisoners of our moods? Some days we feel great from the moment we wake up; others not so much. Why? We could blame the weather. Maybe it’s that incomprehensible jumble of hormones inside our bodies. Or it could … Continue reading
Posted in Control and Choice
Tagged "should", choosing thoughts, frustration, happiness, internal & external control
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Reality Check: The Encouragement of Youth
The recent passing of Prince Philip reminded me about the Duke of Edinburgh award, and that it’s important to encourage youth in positive directions. Encouragement—or a lack of encouragement—can make a significant difference for us, whether we are youthful or … Continue reading
Posted in Helping Others
Tagged confidence, encouragement, examining wants, happiness, persistence, responsibility
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Reality Check: A Morning Outlook
How’s your morning outlook? Sunny and bright? Cold and dreary? Maybe it’s unsettled; you’ll wait to see how the day goes. These outlooks could be describing the weather forecast, but our internal outlook is more interesting. What control do we … Continue reading
Posted in Choosing Perspective
Tagged choosing thoughts, discouragement, happiness, perception
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Reality Check: The Companions on our Journey
If you associate Pythagoras with unhappy high-school math memories, then you might be surprised to find a quote attributed to him about friendship and happiness. Here it is: “Friends are as companions on a journey, who ought to aid each … Continue reading
Posted in Relationships
Tagged encouragement, gratitude, happiness, persistence
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Reality Check: Finding the Good Thing
Humans seem to be wired to easily recognize bad things—danger, fear, hostility—and skip over good things. I’m sure there’s a perfectly sensible survival-related reason for that. However, if the lens we look through shows us only negatives, it makes for … Continue reading
Posted in Choosing Perspective
Tagged anxiety, choosing thoughts, happiness, perception, unhappiness
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Reality Check: A Look at Happiness
What does it mean to be happy? Is it selfish to want to be happy? Do some people seek happiness in a bad way? Is there a formula for happiness? So many questions; so few answers. But as we come … Continue reading
Posted in Choosing Perspective
Tagged choosing thoughts, examining wants, happiness, perception
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Reality Check: The Five Second Rule
Do you know the five second rule? Maybe it’s the ten second rule. Either way, it’s the rule/myth that when a piece of food hits the floor, it’s still edible if it’s picked up right away. You know, of course, … Continue reading
Posted in Relationships
Tagged blame, conflict, happiness, improving relationships
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Reality Check: Another Positive to Negative Ratio
Last time, I had suggested an experiment for you to try if you have a relationship that you’d like to improve. Essentially, the experiment starts by keeping track (in your mind) of how often you offer a “compliment” (encouragement, appreciation, … Continue reading
Posted in Choosing Perspective
Tagged choosing thoughts, happiness, perception
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Reality Check: Connecting with others
Have you noticed changes in your relationships over these past few weeks? With the requirements and warnings to stay away from people—to literally isolate ourselves—we’re no longer getting together for in-person gatherings. Perhaps you’re accustomed to dropping in for a … Continue reading
Posted in Relationships
Tagged happiness, loneliness, need satisfaction, unhappiness
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Reality Check: The Forest, the Trees and the Path
Bad news, or the fear of bad news, can take a lot of our energy. Does that matter? I think so. And it’s not just the selfish sentiment of, “I feel better when I’m happy” kind of mattering, either. The … Continue reading
Posted in Choosing Perspective
Tagged anxiety, choosing influences, choosing thoughts, happiness, perception, purpose
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