You come home from a long day, sit down on the couch and relax into some television. A couple of hours later, you realize you’ve misplaced your car keys. You assume they must be in the couch. You dig around beneath the cushions. You lift up the couch and poke your head underneath. Still no… CONTINUE
Holidays, Family and Personal Responsibility
With the holidays fast approaching, family is likely on your mind. Maybe you look forward to spending time with your family, and maybe you dread it. Therapists talk a lot about dysfunctional families – but at one level, there is no such thing. There are only dysfunctional individuals. Your problem isn’t your crazy family. It’s… CONTINUE
Beating Your Worst Habit in 30 Days
What’s your worst habit? For the next 30 days, I challenge you to try the following experiment: Measure the habit. If you’re a smoker, how many cigarettes do you smoke each day? If porn is an issue, how many minutes do you use porn daily? If you have an anger problem, how many angry outbursts… CONTINUE
Lightening Your Load
Suppose you decide to hike up a mountain trail. Before you embark on your journey, you load your backpack with rocks. You plan to use these rocks to build a sturdy shelter once you reach the top of the mountain. Halfway up, you are feeling exhausted. You decide to load some more rocks into your… CONTINUE
Using “Then What” Thinking to Overcome Anxiety
What’s the worst that could possibly happen? You either avoid this question or you tackle it head-on. When you’re feeling anxious about some life change or new undertaking, it can be useful to consciously consider the Worst Case Scenario. Suppose you fear certain social situations, such as business meetings. Regarding your next business meeting, what… CONTINUE
Overcoming the Monster Beneath Your Bed
As a child, were you ever trapped by a monster under your bed? Having a suspected bed monster presents an uncomfortable dilemma. On the one hand, you want to get away from the monster ASAP. At the same time, we all know what happens the minute you step out of bed to make your escape…. CONTINUE
Suffering is Part of the Cycle of Life
Suffering is part of life’s soundtrack. When we suffer, we tend to see it as a sign of failure, but everyone experiences pain. Even the richest, most beautiful, most successful individuals cannot avoid suffering. Hence the media industry of celebrity scandals. Life is up, life is down. This is true regardless of your accomplishments, your… CONTINUE
How Life Experience is Your Fruit
“You will know a tree by its fruit” Jesus said that — but what does it mean? Think of a tree as a biological computer. Sunlight and rain are its main inputs. Over time, the tree processes these inputs through its roots, cells and leaves. Eventually, a fruit is outputted. You recognize a healthy apple tree because… CONTINUE