by Nancy | Sep 9, 2020
Most of us remember Jack Nicholson uttering this iconic line in “A Few Good Men.” In fact, it won him an Academy Award in 1993. Back then, the truth was an absolute. Now, not so much. If I’ve learned anything at all from watching cable news,...
by Nancy | Sep 2, 2020
Now more than ever, I’m understanding the importance of compassion.Now more than ever, I’m recognizing those people who lack it.First, let’s get the dictionary definition out of the way. It is “sympathetic pity and concern for the sufferings...
by Nancy | Aug 26, 2020
Ever since Bruce Banner was accidently exposed to gamma rays, he turns into the Incredible Hulk when he gets angry. And he’s not the only one. There are a lot of angry people out there. I know this because I deal with them almost every day in my mediation...
by Nancy | Aug 19, 2020
This pandemic is forcing people to rethink what comes next. My next chapter started years ago after my husband died and I needed to find a way to earn a living. Maybe you’re simply tired of your job. Regardless of the circumstances, considering the options...
by Nancy | Aug 12, 2020
Has anyone ever flaked out on you? Do you have friends who say they’ll help out, be there, do something, and then they don’t? I call them “50:50 no-shows” and sometimes I think I’m being a bit too generous. It’s frustrating,...
by Nancy | Aug 5, 2020
I get it — silence is golden. I’ve heard that statement more times than I can count, likely because I talk a lot. I don’t take it personally because I have come to understand the impact of the pause. As a Mediator, my super-power is helping people...
by Nancy | Jul 29, 2020
I’m often asked if couples ever successfully reconcile. While it’s not my job to assist in this regard, I do occasionally see people who decide to stay together. They actually succeed sometimes, if they’re willing to do the work, and if they choose...
by Nancy | Jul 22, 2020
Are you a donkey married to an elephant? Do you engage in healthy discussions with your spouse, or do you have the discipline to simply “not go there?” We are living in an era of extreme partisanship, and tolerance isn’t always at the forefront,...
by Nancy | Jul 15, 2020
How do you start or restart a pendulum? You give it a hearty push and it goes all the way to the left, and then all the way to the right, and so on, and so on, until it settles in the middle. I use this analogy frequently in my mediation practice, especially when...
by Nancy | Jul 8, 2020
If you think the topic of communication is boring, redundant, or overrated, I’d like you to immediately find a bathroom and drop your device into the toilet. Seriously. I mean it. Now that I’ve weeded out the riffraff, permit me to state the obvious....
by Nancy | Jul 1, 2020
Raise your hand if you understand the difference between sympathy, empathy, and compassion. Congratulations! It’s not the easiest distinction to make, and it will likely come in handy the next time someone close to you is in pain. According to Dictionary.com,...
by Nancy | Jun 24, 2020
A couple of years ago, I posted a blog about having a positive attitude, and I think it’s appropriate to revisit this today. I previously shared an epiphany I had as a teenager when I realized that my dad was an optimist and my mom was a pessimist. I thought,...
