Straight Talk Blog
Warning for Men: Is This Behavior Killing Your Relationship?
"True strength and connection lie in building compassion—not in shutting it down. Always build." ~LMB Every day, I hear men express how they struggle with talking about their feelings while the women in their lives share a profound sense of loneliness. According to...
Navigating the Political Divide This Holiday Season
The political climate in the US is particularly hostile this year, making this holiday season incredibly challenging for many families. The divide has strained relationships, resulting in uninvited guests, declined invitations, and even complete silence between loved...
Trickle-Down Leadership: How Values Shape Culture and Influence Society
“Trickle-down leadership” has the power to change a culture; be sure you are modeling what you want others to master. ~ LMB I know many people are struggling right now following the outcome of our presidential election. I, for one, feel tremendous heaviness on a soul...
A Message of Gratitude, Rest, and Renewal on Veteran’s Day
"Sometimes, fighting for our country requires resting, replenishing, and regrouping." ~LMB This Veteran's Day, I am more aware than ever of the ongoing threats our nation faces daily and the tremendous sacrifices made by those who have fought for our country. I want...
Stop Ignoring the Pink Elephant in Relationships: How to Face Uncomfortable Truth
Ignoring the pink elephant in the living room makes the living room uninhabitable over time. ~LMB The "pink elephant" phenomenon is a common term used in the field of addiction that speaks to the frequent pattern of minimizing the seriousness of a person's...
Saving Your Marriage Requires Changing the Behaviors That Caused Its Downfall
"Saving your marriage requires changing the behaviors that caused its downfall." ~LMB A common mistake when trying to win back a spouse is bringing them flowers, writing them heartfelt notes, or sending long e-mails professing your love. Sadly, unless your spouse...
Pay Attention to How You Manage Conflict in Your Home, Work, and World
"Managing conflict can build connection or destroy it; be sure it's building it." ~Lisa Merlo-Booth Managing feedback and conflict is a tremendous problem for many people today. This struggle makes sense, given that few role models exemplify this skill. The sad truth...
A challenge to men…
"It’s time for good men to find their voices, courage, and humanity. Silence makes you complicit." ~LMB Let me begin by saying: There are many good men in the world—I’m fortunate to be married to one and to work with many. I deeply value men and am, by no means, a...
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?...
How Do You Handle Conflict?
"How you handle the conflicts in your life dramatically affects the quality of your life." ~ LMB Conflict often has a bad rap. Countless people see disputes as destroyers of relationships—at home, in the office, and in the world. Couples fear that conflict is a sign...
True Character is Revealed in Conflict
"Don't be fooled by words or the occasional good deed—even serial killers have kind moments." ~LMB Character is revealed in how a person treats, speaks to, and talks about those they dislike, struggle with, or have conflict with. True character shines through in the...
Break the Cycle: Stop Reactive Complaining
"Reactive complaining can strain even the strongest relationships." ~LMB Reactive complaining happens when someone voices a concern, and instead of addressing it, you reflexively bring up a complaint of your own. For example: Sally: Honey, can you please remember to...
Why Silencing Yourself Won’t Save Your Relationship
“Silencing to save your marriage won't save your marriage.” ~Lisa Merlo-Booth One of the most common complaints I hear from women is that they're afraid to be honest with their spouse about conflict of any kind. They constantly walk on eggshells around their partner...
Mastering Clear Communication: Avoid Misunderstandings by Speaking Directly
“Speaking ‘in the grey,’ is a recipe for misunderstanding.” ~Lisa Merlo-Booth Have you ever been upset about someone's actions that you thought you both had an agreement around? A low-stakes example of this could be you becoming angry at your partner for bringing home...
Building Resiliency for Strong Connections
"Emotional fragility makes connection and intimacy difficult at best. Work your emotional resiliency muscles every day with everyone in your life." ~LMB Emotional fragility is a pattern of negatively reacting to issues, feedback, and experiences in a way that shuts...