10 Tips

We have all heard and probably recited the nursery rhyme "sticks and stones may break my bones…" You know the rest: "But words can never hurt me."

If only it were true. The fact is that words do hurt. Unlike a bruise or broken bone, we can’t see the wound on the outside. Most of us can recall instances from our own lives when words cut deeply, causing wounds that may still hurt.

Since these wounds are not visible to others, we go through life exhibiting behaviors that come from how we deal with these old hurts. If we try to bury the wound rather than learn from it, we not only prevent healing, but we are likely to inflict pain on others.

Changes in life happen, and they happen all the time. Things happen for good and bad reasons and much of change is beyond our control. How we handle change is within our control. There will always be external events that cause change, but you still need to take control of your own reactions and attitudes toward change. Here are 10 tips to help you handle changes in your life without adding undue stress.

1. Expect change. The best way to design an effective change outcome in your life is to be proactive and design a management strategy that is easy for you to follow.

What’s your life long-passion? What’s the ever-present yearning for you or your spouse to fulfill? Many of us have dreams and lifelong desires, but find that time is slipping by and our dreams are becoming more and more allusive.

Here’s the secret: Turn time into a friend rather than an enemy. It is not helpful to catch and hold onto a dream if you are racing against the clock. It’s important to turn time into an ally. Find ways to use the hours of each day as a backdrop against which you can create masterpiece upon masterpiece.

Whether the you and your spouse are in your first house or you have been in your neighborhood for awhile, keeping good relations with the neighbors can make a big difference in your quality of life. Here are a few etiquette tips to reduce friction and keep the peace with your neighbors.

1. Say hello. A friendly smile and wave to a neighbor when you go out and get the mail can go a long way toward creating a pleasant atmosphere.

With 24/7 access to news and an ever-growing schedule of political talk shows, the old rule that politics has no place at the dinner table has become obsolete. While most everyone has their own political view, conversation at the dinner table doesn't have to turn into a rousing free for all—unless you happen to enjoy it!

There are courteous ways to navigate the dangerous waters of a political discussion. Here are a few of my etiquette tips when table talk turns political.

While this site is an advocate for happily married families, divorce is a common conversation among all of us—you may know of a family member or friend who is struggling through one. When kids are involved, the situation becomes even more difficult, even in the best of situations and children tend to do better when their parents handle the divorce in a mature and healthy manner.

As such, here are 10 tips you can pass on to anyone that may be going through this type of situation:

The holidays are here once again, as well as the anticipation, excitement, and sometimes dread. It’s wise to plan ahead, not just for the menu or the presents or the guests, but more importantly, for you. How can you make this a truly happy, healthy, fun holiday season for you, your spouse, and your family? Here are the top 10 issues that usually make or break the holiday season:

1. Traditions. Even traditions that we once loved can become old habits that just don’t work anymore; so review your traditions. Does the family look forward to them? Do they need revamping? Don’t assume that just because you’ve been doing them forever that they’re still working. If they are, great, if not, change them!