We’re often reluctant to establish a line when dealing with others because we don’t want to be seen as difficult. So instead we stew in our anger and resentment
Have you ever lived near or worked with someone who seemed to have a problem respecting personal space? About 15 years ago, a neighbour decided he wanted to build a garage. There was a tree on his property line that he didn’t want to take down, so he figured he would just appropriate needed space…
Besides creating an economic crisis, COVID-19 is bringing conflict into some homes. Rate (and improve) your relationship
Not all of us are living happily ever after. Are you surprised? I didn’t think so! If absence makes the heart grow fonder, the opposite might also be true about too much time spent together in close quarters. A former colleague recently told me that call volumes for domestic disputes are on the rise. This…
When strong negative emotions kidnap the thinking brain, we become scarcely more coherent than a wild animal
You may have seen a video recently of a man punching a fellow pedestrian who he felt took his photo without authorization. Once the video was released, the man came forward and apologized for what he called his uncharacteristic behaviour. Whether it’s a result of stress, the state of the world or a variety of…
None of us are at our best when our boundaries are being pushed
We've all heard the nursery rhyme “Sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never hurt me.” But we know better. In fact, we know all too well that words can hurt and so does the interpretation of our nonverbal behaviours (like not paying attention, interrupting or day dreaming when someone is speaking).…
You have every right to choose a new path, but make sure you're not overreacting based on your own insecurity or a misinterpretation of the situation
There are infinite ways our feelings get hurt – and a few clear ways to deal with such circumstances. Perhaps someone expressed a thought unkindly. You found yourself reacting to a perceived slight. Maybe you spent a good deal of time working on a project only to have your name missed when the recognition was…
All lasting change has to happen in the subconscious mind if you're going to get meaningful results
Choosing new paths in life, and finding the confidence to stay on those paths, is all a matter of programming. We all promise ourselves we'll take action in areas of life, yet fail to find the inner resolve to follow through. The inner conflict can carry on for years, undermining our resourcefulness and confidence in getting new behaviours…
Getting your message across effectively can be difficult while giving a presentation, or during a job interview or when dealing with an upset person
Communication can be a real challenge. When you're feeling pushed, it's that much harder. Whether you’re giving a presentation, attending a job interview, dealing with an upset person, or simply conversing at work or in your personal life, ensuring you get your message across – and, equally important, hearing what the other person is saying…
Creative solutions to complex and challenging problems come from a willingness to constructively navigate civilized disagreements
Conflict is natural and often unavoidable. But when emotion takes centre stage, it can lead to hostility. We've all encountered unproductive, frustrating or infuriating situations. We know how they make us feel. What's often less obvious is the degree to which nonverbal nuances contributed to the problem. Take the way our facial micro gestures (specifically around…
Take your mind off automatic pilot and get it to work for you rather than against you
When left to our own devices, we humans have the capacity to create 'worst case scenarios' that play around in our heads unchecked and often without boundaries. When this happens, it paralyzes us and prevents us from speaking up when someone hurts our feelings, springing into action on an exciting opportunity or doing what needs…
Don't waste your energy on something that is not worth wasting your energy on
You don’t have to love them, but life is so much easier when you are polite to people, regardless of how they behave toward you. Have you ever had to deal with offensive customers, or colleagues? It can be a real challenge to keep your cool when your inner voice is screaming, “You’re a jerk!…
Have you ever lived near or worked with someone who seemed to have a problem respecting personal space? About 15 years ago, a neighbour decided he wanted to build a garage. There was a tree on his property line that he didn’t want to take down, so he figured he would just appropriate needed space…
