When we’re running from moment to moment, task to task, we lose perspective
Are we so afraid of spending time alone with our own thoughts that we find tasks to occupy every moment of our waking day? We must stop consuming our days in this unmitigated busyness. When we’re running from moment to moment, task to task, we lose perspective. Events and circumstances start to feel all-consuming. We…
Get what you want by stressing less about outcomes
Some of the biggest conflicts we face are about the frustration we feel when we don’t follow through and achieve what we’ve set our minds on. This causes us to become prickly in our relationships and take our irritation out on others. When I first started working in law enforcement, there were all kinds of…
Get rid of the negative thoughts and distractions and focus on what's important to you
The news is filled with folks complaining. From politics to economics and everything in between, people are focused on what we don’t have rather than what we do. It’s such a deeply-rooted problem that it makes me wonder if our focus is the primary culprit for all the unhappiness we perceive. When we imagine ourselves…
The best way to help your child is by connecting with their teachers and treating them with respect
Now that school is back in and life is settling into its normal fall routine, it may be a good idea to think about the essential relationship you and your child have with those people responsible for your child’s education: teachers. As a parent, you want nothing but the best for your child. When it…
Overexuberance can lead to lost opportunities
It’s no secret that we all have different styles when it comes to communicating. Some people are articulate communicators and others aren’t. Some people get right to the point while others tell a story first. Mix communication styles and add emotion and it’s likely that important elements will be missed entirely. Take this example: Justin…
Strategies you can use to avoid the swamp of unproductive meetings
Do your days feel like one unproductive meeting after another … and another? Have you noticed how often people get bogged down in the same issues you talked about the last time you got together? You ask yourself: “Why are we going over the same ground again and again?” Somewhere between the positive intentions that people start with and a…
These simple daily exercises can help you face up to the inevitable tension in your life
The spate of mass shootings in the United States has caused most of us to pause. Bad stuff can happen to good people. We wonder what we would do if we found ourselves caught up in such violence. Sometimes just hearing about such tragedies can lead us to feel tense and uncertain. And that can…
The biggest challenge we have to overcome is fear
I didn’t get much work done during the Olympics. Once I decided to catch just a glimpse of what was happening, I got caught up watching the rowing, diving, volleyball … you get the idea. With so many fabulous demonstrations of grit and determination, I felt inspired to get out and work out (of course…
Advice on retaining your sanity when confronted with a complete idiot
Do you: 1: Never miss an opportunity to educate those around you? Call attention to mistakes they have made and make sure everyone else knows about those mistakes?. Don't hesitate to point out when someone (a colleague, an employee, the clerk at the local hardware store, an airline pilot, the prime minister) is wrong and…
Believing you can't do something won't get problems solved. Find a way if you truly want a happy life
“I can’t manage everything by myself anymore ... I’m completely stressed out! From being responsible for all the meal planning to childcare responsibilities to cleaning the house, there’s no romance, no time for friends, no time to read. Something has to give.” These were the first words spoken when I sat down with one of…
Here are a few tips for performing better under pressure
“A gentleman does not lose control of his temper. … Exhibitions of anger, fear, hatred, embarrassment, ardour or hilarity, are all bad form in public,” wrote Emily Post. The Summer Olympic Games in Tokyo are underway. Sometimes I’m grateful that this only happens every four years. It’s one of those rare times when my husband…
If the price requires sacrificing civility and honour, we've lost ourselves
Status is a constant in human life, although much of the time we don't think about it because it's everywhere and takes so many forms. It’s been said that “if it doesn’t happen on YouTube, it didn’t happen.” But are those messages helping or hindering? Are we unintentionally inviting individuals to seek their moments of fame…
Mental pressures of the world starting to weigh you down?
Robert, as a hyperactive child, was constantly told to stop fidgeting. When he felt the urge to fidget, he remembered his mother’s disapproval and clenched his fists and held his arms rigidly at his sides. He spent so much of his life clenching his fists and holding himself rigidly that he appeared stiff and lifeless.…
The more the critics bark, the more you’ll accomplish
Faith Wood knows how to resolve conflict. Her years in front-line law enforcement taught her how to effectively de-escalate any situation to a successful conclusion. Faith will use her knowledge of conflict management to guide you through the often stressful experiences you may encounter in your personal or professional life. Her Conflict Coach column appears…
Life is full of trials and tribulations. Who better to conquer them than you?
No matter how blessed your life may be, you’ll never be free from uncertainty. To live is to be uncertain. Even with the best-laid plans, you can’t know what’s coming next. If that’s the case, you have two choices – you can fret and worry about the uncertainty, or you can embrace it. If you…