Strategies and mindsets for developing Marriage Mastery, Parent Training, and Self-Mastery.
See Jonathan's other related blog projects in the sidebar:
- The Q&A Series
- The GR Masters Project
- The 52 Love Songs Project
- The 365 Love Quotes Project
- Rock Therapy
- In the News
First to Fly the Coop One Last Fling Thing
How fun it would be if we could all go to Disneyland one last time all together as a family. It's just not in the budget, though. However, I'm a "how can we do it?" vs. "we can't do it" guy. I think in solutions not problems. I mean memories come from actions not wishes, right?
Attend to Them Before They Attend to You
Listening to, and fixing, relationship noise. Too often, people come to me at the point of relationship crisis—someone's threatened divorce, there's been an affair, they have lots of conflict or they've "fallen out of love." Just the other day, a husband said to me, "How could she have all of a sudden stopped loving me?"
"How do you do therapy?" Give a damn.
Someone asked me once, "How do you do therapy?" How do I do therapy? Wow. I mean it's a fair question. But how do you distill decades of study, experience, mentoring and training into a brief answer that would actually convey anything? It's hard to quantify something that is both so quantifiable and qualitative at the same time. That has so much of science and research as well as art and intuition.
Guest Blogger Mark Tolman: "Becoming Dad"
Jonathan here: Allow me to introduce my friend, Mark Tolman (see his bio below), who I met my freshman year of college. We camped out one night with some friends on the sidewalk in downtown Salt Lake City. Why? That's another story. But back then we were just regular guys. Neither of us were the polished professionals we are now who (seemingly) have all the answers for our clients. For now, I'd like you to hear Mark's thoughts on Father's Day, not as a professional, but as a regular guy, who like me, and like you, have had to somehow figure out this whole dad thing...
Guest Blogger: Kara Sherman on "Not Hating Mothers Day"
Every year Mother's Day comes around and I can already hear the groans from the women: "I hate Mother's Day, I'm not a good mother, Everyone else is better than me, I suck, etc." But really? How awesome is it that each family member gets to celebrate what they like best about you? ...
GREATness Everywhere: Lessons from the Masters
While I focus on GREATness in Relationships™, the lessons of greatness are the same no matter the field you are in: Relationships, business, sports, science, art, music, literature. Here are some of my favorite examples and inspirations. I like to share these with my family during family night and talk about greatness in big goals achieved and in small everyday kindnesses.
Family Fun: Paper Mache (Papier Mâché) Masks
Sunday afternoon the question was asked, "Are we doing anything?" Rather than letting the moment pass and all the kids scurry off to their own isolating activities I said, "I'm going to make a paper mache helmet. Who wants to join me?" Most scurried off, but I started my preparations anyway knowing that I would likely entice a kiddo or two once they saw what was going on. It worked! I snagged Molly and she made a cute mouse and I made an elephant. We had no idea what we were going to make until we started. Most importantly we had a great time together.
Guest Blogger: Gary Klein on Stress & Stuckness
Every problem I have had in the past, or am currently struggling with, and every issue I have ever heard in a therapeutic setting all have one thing in common: (Dramatic pause... Cue the organ music...) Stuckness.
Happy Birthday to YOU! :-) The 7 Best Birthday Videos and TONS of Birthday Quotes & Jokes
Happy Birthday! These are some of my favorite birthday songs, vids and quotes. Some are silly, some are cool, some are profound. All of them = I'm glad you were born. Enjoy your birthday today and remember: Be as AWESOME as you are!
Funny Tombstones & Maintaining Perspective
An elderly client told me years ago: "When I was a boy my mother said to me, 'Son, everything in this life matters... just not very much." Your life matters. It's a one-shot around this amazing spinning globe. Life is precious and rare in our end of the galaxy. Make the most of it. Enjoy it. Do good. Make the world and someone's life a little better for your passing. Just don't let your ego fool you into thinking you're so darn important.
Guest Blogger: Katrina Wride VanWagenen on "Managing Stress by Mindfully Owning Your AWESOMENESS"
Sharing your experiences of trials, pain, acceptance, and endurance that shows me who you are. Keep on going, brighten your day and someone else's. Make a go to list of things that make you awesome, and things that bring a smile to your face when life seems a tad overwhelming, or hugely overwhelming.
AWESOMENESS, "Failure" and The Woes and Wins of Entrepreneurship
"I AM AWESOME!" is not a statement of arrogance or self-delusion—it's recognizing that who you ARE is based in a state of BEING not based on DOING. Accomplishing things and being successful in this or that aspect is important and meaningful, of course, but it's NOT the place to start. OWN that you ARE awesome REGARDLESS of what you DO. Why?
Talking to Your Kids About the School Shootings
After the horrific school shootings in Connecticut I was asked the important question what do you tell your children and grandchildren about such tragedies; How do you talk them through it? There's a lot of things you can say. What they need to hear is the truth: Both sides of it. This is what I told my four children:
Emotion Regulation: Graphic & Lesson
Emotion regulation doesn't need to be a "high level" concept. It's as simple and basic as understanding how to operate any other mechanical device—which, kids by the way, excel at. So teach them how to operate their own bio-machinery they live in each and every day. Of course, it helps the teaching if we as the adults actually model it for them... The good news is the above graphic/concept is so simple kids can totally get it.