Which statement would you prefer to hear from your good friend, a fellow employee or your spouse? Option 1: You are a control freak with money! You are so stubborn! You never let me finish what I'm saying. I can't stand talking to you! I'm out! Option 2: When we were talking about the budget and you interrupted me, I felt sad because I wanted to be heard.
Read MoreI was visiting with a friend recently and I saw something on his bookshelf that I had not seen in twenty years, a copy of All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten by Robert Fulgum. It’s a book of essays that came out in the mid-1980’s. The brilliance of the book is in its simplicity.
Read MoreWhen I was a young boy, my mom would often say, “God gave you two ears and one mouth so you can listen twice as much as you speak.” Decades later, there are times when I’m not sure that I’ve fully grasped the wisdom of that adage. Listening well is important in every relationship. And developing good listening skills is crucial for success at work or at home. At times it seems that listening is more important than even what we say.
Read MoreEarlier this week I had the opportunity to present an Introduction to the Enneagram workshop at Journey Church in Southern California. Almost one-half of the church showed up with most of them having not been exposed to the Enneagram before that night. As happens every time I present material about the Enneagram, there were so many "aha" moments for people. One person said "it's so strange how this tool knows me better than I know myself!"
Read MoreSomeone recently asked me why Lora and I host marriage retreats, classes and groups. My immediate answer was, "Because we want to encourage couples to intentionally invest in growing intimate marriages." Later, I thought about my response to my friend's question and, while it was a good and true answer, there's even a deeper reason why we host marriage enrichment events.
Read MoreToday, I complete my 60th trip around the sun. How in the world is that possible? It seems like only a few years ago I was sporting my baby-blue polyester leisure suit, listening to my Eagles' Greatest Hits eight-track and planning on being a surgeon one-day.
Read MoreEven before I was a grandfather (now called Papa), I dreamed of hosting our grandkids at our home for at least one week a year for an adventure-packed, laughter-filled, memory-making event called Camp Nana Papa. It finally happened.
Read MoreWhen all is said and done, it seems like the most important issues in life can be summarized in two words: Relationship Matters. Everything in our lives is impacted by the quality of our relationships. Even researchers are confirming this simple, yet profound, truth.
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