Blaming is a common reaction. The blame game used to be one of my primary arsenals. Years ago, whenever I felt overwhelmed, I blamed the dog, my kids, or even the chair in the way when stubbing my toe. Anything in earshot received a rant of blame. "Look what you made me do!"

Hmm. Does anyone or anything really make us do anything?

Estimated reading time: 5 minutes

Habits control our lives whether we recognize it or not. If you’ve ever tried to overcome a bad habit, you’ll relate to the power of habits.

From the moment you get up in the morning, your activities are on cruise control: brushing your teeth, showering, eating breakfast, exercising (or not), checking Facebook or your email inbox, rituals once you’re at work, etc. Whatever you repeat enough and do routinely, the brain will create a habit. Why? Because the brain is a superhighway of efficiency.

Estimated reading: 4 minutes

When I was young, my brother stuffed a mouthful of firework poppers into his mouth and chewed them. Impulsive, indeed. His scorched tongue and singed gums were a reminder of his impulsive behavior for weeks.

Do you ever say or do something impulsive that hurts a relationship, and you regret later?

Estimated reading time: 4 minutes

The term emotional intelligence (or EQ, Emotional Quotient) is thrown loosely around like confetti at a holiday parade. Yet, very few people understand why it's so critical. With emotional intelligence in big demand at the workplace, our expectations are even higher for business owners, managers, and leaders.

What many do not realize is that emotional intelligence develops in childhood (or not). The good news is that, unlike IQ, that doesn't change, EQ can be learned, but it requires knowledge, skills, and lots of practice.Estimate reading time: 4 minutes

When stress hits, the human body responds. The reaction is fast—we adapt without even making a conscious decision most of the time. We humans are hard-wired for survival. Knowing when chronic stress has taken hold of you is critical.

Think about coping with stressors in your daily life, especially with the most recent threat to our health with Covid-19. Children at home, work deadlines, getting dinner done, taxes! Most of us are probably more stressed about getting enough sleep and making enough money than any human in other eras were.

Leadership requires much more than business smarts. Poor decision-making, breakdowns in communication, knee-jerk reactions to employees, taking credit for another's work or a lack of engagement are a few examples that can be problematic. These behaviors can act as a disease in business and undo even the most prominent companies. And what do these behaviors represent? Low emotional intelligence!

What is becoming more and more corroborated is that a leader's success depends not on a business degree but much more heavily on emotional intelligence: their ability to get along with people, and to [...]

Beliefs form our realities. Limiting and false beliefs restrict our relationships and limit our happiness, relationships, career success, and financial prosperity. Beliefs are formed in our developmental years, and as adults, they define and color our reality and determine our quality of life for better or for worse. There's a lot of talk on this topic people are talking about this topic. However, a trend I've seen lately in the coaching industry and self-help movement is getting under my skin a little.

Estimated reading time: 5 minutes

Anger is misunderstood and underappreciated! Most people don't like anger, even angry people say they wish they didn't feel angry so much. Many people are afraid of anger, so they try their best to hold in their anger and go out of their way to avoid making anyone else angry. There are many unhealthy ways we deal with anger: we dodge it, judge it, repress it, disown it, cloak it, reject it, or lash out at others. And being on the receiving end of anger is intense and often feels threatening.

Why do we dislike anger so much? Why do so many people need anger management? And how can we express [...]

The brain's first job is to keep us safe. Important, right? Yes, of course. However, if we only spot problems but don't learn how to move through them and critically think to resolve conflicts in our lives, we get stuck.

In my first meeting with young adults, couples, or even company leaders, there is a common theme. They point out what they want to change or fix in themselves, their work, or their relationships and lives. Often there are emotional intelligence skills missing.

Until we master ourselves, nothing changes. We must commit to a growth mindset, or problems will remain. Shifting [...]