Relationships
December 2, 2019
We all agree that we expect confidentiality when we share information with healthcare, law, or professionals. There are rigorous ethical standards that guide these relationships and we all expect compliance. Lately, I have been thinking about whether we have similar expectations in our non-professional relationships. When we share personal […]
November 4, 2019
Amanda and I wrote The Kindness Advantage, in part to help families positively address the increase in disrespectful and bullying behavior. Bullying can be physical or emotional and can occur at any stage of our life. Too many of us choose to do nothing when they see or hear […]
August 28, 2019
I am hearing more and more from people who express disappointment with their family or friends. They wonder why their family and friends do not do the things they “should” do (what the person wants and expects). “He should have known how I was feeling”. “She should have called; she […]
August 28, 2019
When I was in college, I found it incredibly relaxing to sit at LaGuardia Airport and watch people coming and going. No kidding. Always the observer, it was a great delight for me. (This was before security prevented anyone who didn’t have a ticket from hanging out at an airport.) […]
July 30, 2019
It happens in life. Someone we know will be fired, go through a divorce, be informed of an illness, receive an indictment, be involved in an accident, or lose someone they love. When this happens likely, they will want to not only tell us but want to talk about it. […]
April 30, 2019
Not long ago I lost a friend. And then another. And then…another. Still shaken by these losses, I was informed that a cousin had died. It was quite a five-day streak. The impact of this news left me so full of fear that I would receive more news of a […]
April 1, 2019
A close friend told me about an experience she had after she worked up the courage to ask someone for an apology for something he had done that had been disrespectful and painful. The event happened years before. She tried to talk to him about it soon after, but he […]
April 1, 2019
“Nana, can we do manicures?” asked my six-year-old granddaughter. “Sure,” I replied, “but I’m not sure I have the color you like.” I’ve used the same color (which many would argue is a non-color) for the last 30 years, even as various shades of blue, black, grey, purple, pink, red, […]
March 4, 2019
“Getting paid” is the fulfillment of an employee/employer contract. The employee works; the employer pays. For some that is enough. However, we know that saying “thank you” or “great job” to someone is important. Recognition by a supervisor or a peer has a positive impact on both the person extending […]
March 4, 2019
What happens when we acknowledge another’s kindness? What happens when we contemplate those acts or experiences for which we feel grateful? We feel good! We experience benefits to our health when we write a letter of gratitude to someone who helped us in our life. Delivering that letter […]