Thursday, July 30, 2020

Should You Be Bolder or Less So? A self-assessment

cnener, CC 2.0
Some evidence suggests a genetic predisposition to risk-taking.
Not withstanding that and philosophical determinists from Kant to Sam Harris, I like to think we retain a measure of free will.  

With that as an assumption, my Psychology Today article today offers a self-assessment inventory that could help you decide whether you want to direct your free will in a new direction.

Wednesday, July 29, 2020

The Lonely Conservative: Ideas for the out-of-step

Bert Kaufmann, CC 2.0, Wikimedia
Anyone who is 65 or younger, especially if “well-educated,” has throughout their life, probably received a consistent message from society's mind molders—the schools colleges and media—that liberal is good, conservative is bad. 

Broadly, that translates into redistributing from the Haves to the Have-Nots: whether it’s more taxpayer-paid programs for the poor, supporting Palestinians over Israelis, and, of course, supporting Democrats over Republicans.

I have both liberal and conservative friends. In recent years and acceleratingly so in recent months, the liberals are feeling buoyed and/or angry, while the conservatives are more often sad, silenced, and often lonely. My Psychology Today article today offers a few thoughts for conservatives.

Tuesday, July 28, 2020

Should You Be More Suspicious or Less So? A 10-item self-assessment

When are we exercising due caution rather than crossing the line into over-suspiciousness?

Of course, that question can’t have a black-and-white answer. But it might help to inventory your level of trust in common situations and then reflect on whether and in what circumstances you should be more trusting or less. My Psychology Today article today offers a 10-item self-assessment.

Monday, July 27, 2020

Adventure: Is it time for a more or a less piquant life?

Rutger Van der Maar, Flickr, CC 2.0
Adventure. That word can evoke images from shopping to swashbuckling.
My Psychology Today article today offers composite letters, one from a person who is living a quite standard life, the other from someone who is living quite large. I offer thoughts to each.

Sunday, July 26, 2020

A Case for Silence: Why listening may be more important than ever

No author listed, Pikrepo, Public Domain
There certainly are times to speak up. At the macro level, we might speak out on a political issue. Micro, we often should ask for what we want lest we unduly sacrifice our agency. Plus, speaking is active learning: We grow from figuring out what to say and then saying it.

But these days, silence may be getting short shrift. I make the case in my Psychology Today article today.

Saturday, July 25, 2020

What To Believe: Distnguising truth from truthiness

Greg Williams, CC 2.5, Wikimedia
Stephen Colbert coined the term, "truthiness," which refers to an assertion that seems true but well may not be. In our heated times, it seems that truthiness has proliferated.

My Psychology Today article today attempts to make it easier to distinguish truth from truthiness.

Thursday, July 23, 2020

Aim for Easy: A counterpoint to our strive-hard society

Heather Katsoulis, Flickr, CC 2.0
Sure, there’s a time to go hard, for example, when competing in the Olympics. But perhaps surprisingly often, it's wise to aim for the easy. My Psychology Today article today offers easier options for approaches to activities in both your professional and personal life

Wednesday, July 22, 2020

Likely Trends in Work in 2021 and beyond

Geralt, Pixabay, Public Domain
Rarely are predictions of dramatic change accurate. Prospects are better although less impressive when predicting continuation of existing trends. My Psychology Today article today offers my best shots.

19 Words That Make You Seem Smart . . . And actually make you smarter

No author listed, SVG Silh, CC 0
Of course, a list of words that convey intelligence could fill a small dictionary, but given space limitations, My Psychology Today article today offers  19 that seem particularly useful in today’s roiling times. I use COVID-related examples of how each word could be used.
Using these words, many of which aren't fancy, should add intelligence and nuance to what you say or write.

Monday, July 20, 2020

“Am I Living Life the Right Way?”

No author listed, pxhere, public domain
Many people wonder if they should of should have lived life differently. My Psychology Today article today offers four letters offer varied expressions of that doubt. I offer my response to each.

Sunday, July 19, 2020

Buying in the Time of COVID: 10 wise purchases

 Džoko Stach, Pixabay Public Domain
The COVID economic shutdown is forcing many people to shop more thoughtfully. My Psychology Today article today offers 10 examples of what I believe to be thoughtful purchases.

Saturday, July 18, 2020

Living as a Sad Person: Thoughts for the downcast

Alexander Krivitskiy, Pexels, Public Domain
Much has been written for people who are clinically depressed. Less discussed are people whose baseline on a 10-ponit happiness scale is just modestly below average, say 3 or 4. 

I offer advice to sad people in my Psychology Today article today.


Thursday, July 16, 2020

What to Say - Miscellaneous situations. A script for 7 ticklish situations

tiyowprasetyo, Wikimedia, CC 1.0
This series’ previous installments offered sample scripts for situations at work and intimate relationships.

In the final installment in the series, here are scripts for less easily categorized situations. Again, when I first use a principle, I’ll call it out. Of course, these are merely samples. Adapt or scrap to fit the situation and your personality.

Wednesday, July 15, 2020

What to Say - Intimate Relationships--Scripts for 5 ticklish situations

No author listed, WallpaperFlare, Public Domain
Yesterday in Psychology Today, I offered sample scripts for what to say in ticklish situations in worklife. Today I turn to intimate relationships. 

Tuesday, July 14, 2020

What to Say: Scripts for 7 ticklish work situations

No author listed, piqsels, Public Domain
My Psychology Today article today offers a sample script for seven ticklish situations that people commonly encountered in their worklife. I call-out principles of communication that are embedded in the scripts

Monday, July 13, 2020

Reinventing Education: Elementary through graduate school

No author listed, pxhere, Public Domain
Yesterday, I offered thoughts on reinventing work. Today, I turn to education.

If education is our future, it would be brighter if reinvented. While most parents like their kids' school (if not perhaps COVID-forced distance learning), student learning has been disappointing, not just in international comparisons but in insufficiently preparing our next generation for the ever more demanding world they will inherit.

My Psychology Today article today offers my favorite ideas for how, not to reform education, but reinvent it.

Sunday, July 12, 2020

Reinventing Work: Choosing a career, training, hiring, taxing, offices, creating jobs

Anrita1705, Pixabay, Public Domain
Many people who have been in a career for a while have ideas on how to reinvent it. I am no exception. I’ve been a career advisor for more than 30 years. In addition, I've long enjoyed talking about work with friends and colleagues. 

My Psychology Today article today offers thoughts on how reinvent or make major improvements in the world of work.

Saturday, July 11, 2020

Aging

Sheila Sund, Flickr, CC 2.0
I’ve written often on aging and thought it might be time to offer an augmented synthesis of my core thoughts on the subject. I've done so as my Psychology Today article today.

Secular Spirituality Six approaches that may particularly appeal to atheists and agnostics.

No author list, pxhere, public domain
People have long sought the spiritual. And although the Pew Center for the Study of Religion finds "no-religion" to be the fastest growing religion, many people, including some atheists and agnostics, still want spirituality to be incorporated into their life.

That urge may feel more pressing today amid COVID stresses and racial roiling atop modern-day’s normal challenges.

My Psychology Today article today offers six ways in which even an atheist or agnostic can build spirituality into their lives.

Friday, July 10, 2020

COVID Recreations: On making the most of walking, reading, cooking, listening to and playing music, tweaking your home, and handwriting letters

My Psychology Today article today offers my thoughts on how to make of these COVID-friendly recreations: walking, reading, cooking, listening to and playing music, tweaking your home, and handwriting letters.

Thursday, July 9, 2020

Brighter: Advice to a person who isn’t as brilliant as the parent

Geralt, Pixabay, Public Domain
My Psychology Today article today offers a letter from a person who has felt inert because she doesn't feel she can compete with her father. I offer advice that could enable her to succeed on her own terms as well as to become a stronger thinker.

Tuesday, July 7, 2020

True Love: An expanded definition

No author listed, FreeSVG, CC0 Public Domain
We tend to think of true love as romantic: a soulmate, perfectly compatible sexually and in day-to-day life, perhaps even having met as in the movies: swoon at first sight.

May we all find such love but, fortunately, if we allow ourselves to expand from that definition, true love can manifest in a number of ways. We may be more pleased with our life if we search out or stop to appreciate another form(s) of true love. I describe some in my Psychology Today article today.

Monday, July 6, 2020

Stopping Smoking . . . and other addictions

George Hodan, PublicDomainPictures
Today’s COVID and racial stresses atop modern life's challenges are tempting smokers to light up even more than usual, and even some non-smokers to take up the habit, a most deadly one. Used as directed, smoking greatly increases the risk of cancer, heart attack, stroke, diabetes, breathing problems (COPD) and, yes, COVID killing you.


The 7-step plan I offer in my Psychology Today article today should help not only smokers but users of other dangerous drugs, from alcohol to marijuana, MDMA to opioids.

Sunday, July 5, 2020

In Praise of Charity That's NOT Tax-Deductible

No author listed, Pikist, Public Domain
When we limit ourselves to charitable giving that's tax-deductible, we may be letting the tail wag the dog. I offer what's offer a wiser giving option in my Psychology Today article today.

Saturday, July 4, 2020

Wild Despair: Surviving the perfect storm of COVID's medical & economic tolls & racial roiling

Kathe Kollwitz, Wikimedia, Public Domain
Today, we’re buffeted by a perfect storm: medical, economic, racial:

Fear of COVID—Smash!

Having or having a loved-one have COVID: Smash!

Suffering financially because of the COVID economic shutdown: Smash!

Being forced into lockdown for months, with it likely to continue, if only intermittently. Of course, that can bring such sequelae as weight gain, domestic violence, kids not getting much of an education, and loneliness from lack of human contact: Smash!

Racial roiling in the aftermath of the Floyd killing: Smash!

It’s enough to drive some people wild, internally or externally, from cruelty to a loved one to overreaction to strangers you don’t agree with.

Might any of the ideas I offer in my Psychology Today article today help you shelter from the storm?

True Independence Day: Toward replacing lemming thinking with free thinking

No author listed, pxfuel, Public Domain
Independence Day has a hidebound ring to it, evoking an event of 244 years ago. independence Day seems even less relevant in light of today’s growing suppression of independent thinking, yes regarding the deconstructionist triad of race, class, and gender, but far more broadly.

In an attempt to encourage more independent thinking on this Independence Day, my Psychology Today article today offers three other issues on which the marketplace of ideas is being truncated.

Friday, July 3, 2020

Traveling to Gain Insight? You may gain more at home

Luke Stehr, Flickr CC 2.0
To try to gain insight or solve a big problem, many people journey. It could be as short as a quick stroll or as long as a pilgrimage to the East.

Of course, some people return richly rewarded, whether with clarity on the career they should pursue, the relationship they should end, or a broader vision for their life: less materialistic or the converse—deciding that the life of idealistic poverty is more romantic as portrayed in the movies than in reality.

But across my many clients who have traveled for insight, most return empty. Yesterday, a client reported on his solo hiking getaway to June Lake, which is in a remote part of California. He said, "I’m still stuck, completely stuck.”

My Psychology Today article today offers some activities you can do without leaving home that my clients have found more helpful. Note that unlike journeying, in which the person tends to expect insight to just pop into mind, in these activities, you are actively working on the problem and so are more likely to generate something of value. Also, journeying has distractions: nature, tourist sites, etc. Each of the activities can be done at home, making it easier to focus on the problem.

Thursday, July 2, 2020

Passing the Baton: The art of succession planning When you want your expertise to have ripple effect after you're gone.

When I was 60, I put a paragraph on the corkboard next to my desk. It urged training a successor. 

Two days ago, I turned 70, reread it, and decided that although I’m in good health, if I wanted what I’ve learned over these decades as a career counselor to live on after I die, it was time to find and train an apprentice and possible successor. 

In hopes it might be instructive to you as you plan your succession, my Psychology Today article today offers what I’m doing: