I was visiting my friend Kelly in New York City a few years ago and learned a surprising lesson that stuck with me since. No it wasn’t, “Don’t sit next to the naked dudes in the Turkish baths.” It was this simple phrase: “You can’t give to take.” I was drunk off the big city (though we …
Trust isn’t something other people earn from us. Like forgiveness, trust comes from within. Trust means letting go of the fear of being hurt. It means putting the ego aside and accepting people’s presence no matter what they’ve done in the past. Trust and forgiveness go hand-in-hand. They are mere words to describe the same unsettling …
Whether you’re a an avid fan or despise the upcoming holiday, Valentine’s Day is coming. And that means two things: chocolate and depression. Many people are excited that for one day in February it is totally excusable to overdose on candy and sugar (so long as it’s heart-shaped). Then there’s those who abhor the color red …
This is the first article in the series, How To Reason With Unreasonable People. Click here to visit the original article that started it all. In this article, we discuss a communication tactic called, linear conversation. What are linear conversations? A linear conversation is a conversation with a set path. You discuss point A, then …
Christmas is a very special religious holiday where Christians all around the world celebrate the birth of Christ. But I’m here to tell you, Christmas is so much bigger than that. I grew up Catholic, so I once devoted myself to Christ and fully experienced the mystery and magic of Advent. It was lovely to grow …
Gossip is the least intelligent form of modern-day communication. One of my favorite quotes that summarizes this concept was spoken by Eleanor Roosevelt: “Great minds discuss ideas; average minds discuss events; small minds discuss people.” This couldn’t be more true. When we say negative things about someone, we display more of our true character than theirs. We expose …
There is a saying I learned awhile back that changed my communication strategy forever: “The one who asks the questions controls the conversation.” This means that in order to lead a conversation (or take control over a conversation), ask purposeful questions. The other person will answer, which will give you the information you need to guide the conversation …
It is important to show people that we care about them. Specifically, it is important to show our dearest friends and family that we love and appreciate them. As we settle in our life routine, we easily forget that relationships take work. In order to have the closeness and connection that we humans desire, we must be proactive …
Judging people isn’t inherently evil. But judging people inaccurately limits our thinking and creates barriers in relationships. We tend to judge people based on how we feel about ourselves. We also tend to judge people based on isolated incidences instead of patterns of behavior. In Part 1 of our discussion, we reflected on our thinking …
In our previous discussion, Judging People: A Scientific Approach Part 1 – Our Stupid Way Of Judging People, we dissected our thought process when we observe and judge other people. If you have not done so already, I encourage you to read Part 1 before continuing. In this article we uncover the fundamental flaw of …
