Straight Talk Blog
What Keeping the Peace Is Costing You
"Waiting for someone to “see the light” and change their behavior keeps everyone stuck." ~LMB The number of families cowering, ducking, and silencing to a reactive adult is more than most people can imagine. Many families are tip-toing around the men in their homes....
How to Know If Your Spouse Is Really Changing
"Always pay attention to actions, not words. If you’re still wondering if they’ve changed, they probably haven’t." ~LMB In a world where fake stories, recordings, and information is rampant, it can be easy to get sucked in. Just as we can be fooled by information...
The Courage to Stand: Confronting Harm in 2026
"Standing up to harmful behavior is as necessary in your home as it is on the job and in the world." ~LMB Last week's post talked about Standing Where Others Cower. This week's post shares how to do this. The daily toxic messaging spewing from social media, inundating...
Stand Where Others Cower: Your New Year Challenge
"This year, find the courage to be a powerful example of the best of humanity." ~LMB May your New Year be filled with courage, compassion, kindness, and integrity that creates powerful change. Extend compassion and kindness to yourself and others. Embrace your...
Bringing Compassion to This Holiday Season
"Wishing you and your loved ones a holiday season filled with love, belonging, and heart-warming kindness." ~LMB While many families are busy getting excited about the holidays, many others are grieving tremendous losses. In recent weeks alone, from the victims of the...
Is This Pattern Making Your Problems Worse?
"Explaining why you did something doesn’t erase the impact, repair the hurt, or change the outcome." ~LMB Have you fallen into the habit of explaining your actions rather than repairing the hurt those actions caused? Do any of these responses sound familiar?...
A Series on Relationally Toxic Behaviors – Toxic Behavior #2: Dismissiveness
"Your partner’s experiences are important because they say they are—not when you decide they are." ~LMB Disagreements in relationships are normal, healthy, and to be expected. However, disagreeing is different than being told your opinions, experiences, concerns,...
Slow Down to Soak in the Gifts of the Holiday Season
"Focusing on the stress of the holiday season blinds you to the gifts. Don’t be blinded." ~LMB Holidays can be a tremendous trigger for stress. You’re worried about getting everything done, having family members get along, cooking a great meal, etc. Balancing this...
How to Handle Family Stress at Thanksgiving Without Falling Into Old Patterns
"Bringing your adult self to family holidays makes for much better gatherings." ~LMB Whew, there are few things more capable of bringing you right back to acting like a 10-year-old child than family gatherings! Your parents’ critiques, sibling rivalries, family...
Understanding Relationship Complaints: Listen the First Time
"When your partner complains about a pattern of behavior you do, listen, the first time." ~LMB The key way out of a struggling relationship is finding the courage to change in the area your partner has been asking you to change for years. Too many people respond to...
A Series on Relationally Toxic Behaviors – Toxic Behavior #1: Volatile Anger
"It's impossible to have emotional intimacy with someone who is unsafe to be honest with." ~LMB Expressing anger safely is healthy. In fact, anger can be a potent motivator for powerful change, growth, and even connection. However, the key differentiator between...
Choosing Wisely: The Most Important Gift to Your Future Self
"Choosing wisely means valuing your future enough to walk away from what threatens it." ~LMB Choosing your life partner is one of the most critical decisions you will ever make. This choice has the potential to impact every day of your life going forward, the lives of...
What I Wish My Mom Taught Me About Relationships
"The best relationships rest on a rock-solid foundation of safety, allowing for fun, connection, growth, and love to flourish." ~LMB If you’ve ever looked around and thought, “Why didn’t anyone teach us how to do relationships well?” — you’re not alone. There’s so...
Radicalized Masculinity™ — The Rising Inferno of Violence and Disconnection
"Manning-Up" through dominance and aggression doesn’t make you powerful, it makes you dangerous—to yourself and others. ~LMB Across America, bullying, intimidation, control, and violence are escalating—and too many are responding with silence. The old...
The Cost of a World Without Empathy
"When empathy dies, the heart of humanity soon follows." ~LMB On September 10th, Charlie Kirk—a 31-year-old far-right political activist—was assassinated while speaking at a Utah college campus. He was shot at approximately 12:10 p.m. MST. Kirk leaves behind a wife...