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Appreciating Appreciation
The easiest way I know to bring great harmony into your marriage is to just say thank you. Go out of your way to discover something your spouse does that makes your home life possible:
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AMA: Marriage, Anxiety, and Jealousy
Marriage can be difficult. In fact, marriage should be difficult. Here’s how to deal with that anxiety.
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Riding the Elephant
“Make decisions from the heart and use your head to make it work out.” – Sir Girad One of the best metaphors I’ve seen to explain the difference between our emotions and our thoughts is that of the elephant and the rider. The elephant represents our emotional selves. Its massive size and immense strength characterize […]
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Peace Begins with Pause
“The right word may be effective, but no word was ever as effective as a rightly timed pause.” (Mark Twain) “Don’t push my buttons.” We’ve all said it, hoping our kids, or our spouse, or our coworkers will get the message: “Don’t you dare press my emotional buttons.” I’ve even heard it around the world, […]
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Petty Peeves
“You are no bigger than the things that annoy you.” (Jerry Bundsen) It’s easy to put myself on a pedestal whenever I feel extremely annoyed by my children, my colleague, or the woman in front of me in the grocery store line talking to her phone instead of the cashier. In those moments, if I’m […]
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Doing is Knowing
“To know, and not do, is to not yet know.” (Zen saying) One of the biggest lies in our world is the lie of education. You know, the one that says, “If we just knew better, we’d do better.” I’m not out to disparage education—it’s an indispensable part of life. I’m just calling out the lie […]
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Time Teaches Truth
“Time is the wisest counselor.” (Pericles) In 2007, as I signed our new mortgage, I stated there’s no way this could be a bad investment. “Bernanke just said there’s no way the entire U.S. housing market could collapse at the same time!” [Excuse me while I buy my tickets to again see The Big Short, […]
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From Men to Boys
“Nobody calls men ‘men’ anymore. Have you noticed? Women went from ‘girls’ to ‘women.’ Men went from ‘men’ to ‘boys.’ This is a problem in the big picture. Do you know what I mean?” (Jules, from the film “The Intern”) Anne Hathaway’s character, in last year’s hit film, is surrounded by boys. Hoodie-wearing employees at […]
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Reality Barks
“What is, is.” (Werner Erhard) Today is a Monday. Nothing we can do about that. Some of you are still buried beneath mountains of snow drifts, with shovels calling your name. Nothing you can do about that. This week I’m officially entering my mid-40s. Nothing I can do about that. Reality can, indeed, bite. But […]
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The Art of Human Maintenance
“After enlightenment, the laundry.” (Zen Proverb) I recently read an interview with Melinda Gates. She spoke of trying to create normalcy within their stately home, and within her and her famous husband’s far-from-normal life. Turns out they and their three kids all take their turns loading the dishwasher. Even Bill. Amazing how much we envy […]