Fed Up With the Kids? How to Manage Parental Anger
Most parents want to be joyful, encouraging and wise with their children
Emotional Insight
social intelligence, feelings, boundaries, emotions, humor
How to Strengthen Your Internal Locus of Control
Those with a strong internal locus of control believe that they are primarily in charge of their lives. Those with a strong external locus of control believe that they are primarily at the mercy of other people, fate or chance. They often perceive themselves as victims of their situations.
Are You REALLY in An Abusive Relationship?
Too often one adult declares that another adult is being abusive. Before you decide you are in a bullying or abusive relationship and call the Abuse Police, get a handle on what is really happening. OK? Abuse is mistreatment, by any other person or persons, that violates a person’s human and civil rights. Children […]
From Blowing a Fuse to Emotional Regulation
Most of us have done it. We have walked out on a loved one, slammed a door, said something we regretted or burst into rage or tears. I have been there screaming, “I will go crazy if you don’t do that!” I needed to learn emotional regulation skills. By the way, I did! We tend […]
How to Relieve Deep Emotional Pain
Emotional pain showed up years ago at a therapy training session. Those feelings hijacked my focus. When I approached the trainer in a distraught state she looked at me and said, “You do know how to self-regulate, don’t you?” The training content reminded me of something I had done long ago that I regretted and […]
What Do You Do with Your Frustrated Feelings?
In my daughter Kelly’s and my book, Love Her As She Is: Lessons from a Daughter Stolen by Addictions I describe fourteen ways to love unconditionally with clear boundaries. The first way is take your frustrations to someone you trust. Family Patterns of Feeling Frustrated Life events can often trigger us to feel frustrated. As […]
How to Stop Being a Perfectionist and Looking for Perfect
What might happen if masses of people stopped looking for perfect and expecting no flaws in themselves, others, and the world? I like to say, “We’re perfectly imperfect.” On day Friend, Jannette, said to me, “Thank you to Les and you for staying married for soooooo many years. So many people are looking for the […]
Five Steps to an Authentic and Research Based Apology
Have you ever said or done anything you regret? I am not talking about a fumble mumble or tripping over the front hall rug. Rather, I am referring to disrespecting someone, emotionally wounding another, or crossing over a personal boundary. I’ve done my fair share. For example, I have: Acted disrespectfully. Years ago, I invited […]
How to Differentiate between Feeling Blue and Depressed
Many people imagine they are merely feeling sad or blue when actually they are in a depressed state. Others imagine they are depressed when they are merely feeling sad. It will help to know the difference between feeling blue and depressed.
Resilience Message in Dr. Seuss’s Oh, the Places You’ll Go
Dr. Seuss was correct, You have a brain in your head. Use it well. Wipe out the cobwebs. Nourish it with wisdom and compassion. Our present culture tends to fill our children’s brains will commercialism, greedy, sugar, violent images, mean-spirited competition, contempt, discontent, and trivia. What really matters are the deep virtues that are expressed over and […]
You Can Bounce Back From Lying, Deception, and Cheating
Lance Armstrong’s Deception Caught The headlines were filled with cycling champion, Lance Armstrong’s lying, deception, and cheating. In an interview with Oprah Winfrey (televised January 17, 2013) he said, “I went and looked up the definition of cheat . . . the definition is to gain an advantage on a rival or foe. I did not view it that way. […]
Inspiring Spiritual Quotes to Enrich Your Life
For over 25 years I have taken my journal to Sunday service. For many of those years my spiritual guide was The Reverend Doctor Carol Carnes, author of The Way In. Now those journals are filled with spiritual quotes that support my continued efforts to build personal, emotional, and spiritual resilience. When a spiritual quote resonates, […]