Advice by Ali

Sometimes communication can feel like the hardest thing in the world. When we’re in the middle of a fight with our significant other, when we’re in a rough spot with our boss or coworker, when we get into an argument with our kids or a friend, it can feel like everything is crashing down around us. It may seem crazy, but there is one very logical reason this happens. When we enter into a conflict with someone we know and trust, in that moment (no matter how fleeting it may be), the connection is broken.

If you have a teen, you don’t need me to tell you how volatile their mood swings can be. Even when we think we’re approaching a subject in the most objective of tones, the conversation can escalate pretty fast. Raising a well-disciplined teen helps, but there’s a point at which your teen controlling their raging hormones is about as easy as you controlling your reaction to them.

Before we can make any positive changes in our lives, we must first stop doing the things that aren’t working. Then we can begin to create new, more positive habits. When you re-frame your mindset and live this change every day, you’ll see results. While the road isn’t always easy – and it certainly isn’t short – it will get you to where you want to be. And isn’t that so worth it in the end?

The platinum rule encourages us to treat people as they would like to be treated (rather than treating them as we’d like to be treated, as the golden rule says). This is a great rule to follow when we’re trying to help others or to guide them, which is why it’s especially important for parents.

If you could change anything about yourself, what would it be? Would you become healthier? More successful? Improve your relationships? When we stop to reflect on how we’d like to improve, we can often get stuck when thinking of the sheer magnitude of the task. More often than not, the improvements we seek require far …

How to Enforce Lifelong Change Read More »