Straight Talk Blog
The Power of Staying Calm: Turning Anger into Inner Strength
“Returning violence for violence multiplies violence, adding deeper darkness to a night already devoid of stars... Hate cannot drive out hate: only love can do that.” ~ Martin Luther King Jr. Losing your cool when life throws you a curve ball will make an already...
Smooth Sailing in Relationships Comes with Knowing How to Navigate Through Storms
"Buying into the message that "Relationships are hard" is a setup for normalizing destructive relationships; don't buy in. When you know how to maneuver through the storms, relationships can be Smooth Sailing." ~ LMB Every relationship has conflicts, disagreements,...
Honoring Those Who Sacrificed for Our Freedoms
"Many died so you could live with the freedoms you have today. Don’t ever take those freedoms for granted." ~LMB More men and women have fought for your right to freedom than you can imagine. Appreciate the extent to which these men and women have been willing to...
Beyond the Affair: The Lasting Damage of Infidelity on Relationships
"Cheating on your spouse or partner is harmful to your partner, family, and yourself; don't ever minimize the damage of that choice." ~LMB We live in a world where hookups ups, cheating, affair sites, and sexual liaisons are a daily occurrence. We have married men and...
Uncompromising Safety Is a Prerequisite for True Intimacy
“Those who disrespect you with their mouth don't deserve your ear.” ― Curtis Tyrone Jones Radically New Relationships are safe relationships; there's no intimidation, walking on eggshells, shaming, or fear of retaliation/rage/emotional abuse. Your home is a safe haven...
Recognizing Meanness Elevates Your Bar for Kindness in Relationships
"If you can't recognize meanness, your bar for kindness will be far too low." ~ Lisa Merlo-Booth If someone buys you flowers on Friday, calls you stupid on Monday, and barely speaks to you when you're down on Thursday—shred the flowers. Kindness is a way of being, not...
If You’re Unhappy, Change Your Moves
"Doing the same thing expecting different results will leave you disappointed every time. If you’re unhappy, change your moves." ~Lisa Merlo-Booth A great definition of insanity is “Doing the same behaviors over and over again, expecting different results.” People do...
Healthy Relationships: The Importance of Being Willing to Play
"The truest form of love is how you behave toward someone, not how you feel about them." - Steve Hall When it comes to healthy relationships, there are those who are willing to ‘play’ and those who are not. “Play” means willing to do what is necessary for both of you...
Calling All Men: Your Power Lies in Your Safety
"Violence has always been unfortunately embedded in masculinity, this alpha thing" ~ Sebastian Stan Trevor Noah recently spoke at the Simmons Leadership Conference, where he talked about creating equity, change, and safety for women and our world. Then he was asked,...
Are you doing this everywhere?
"I'm not violent; I don't believe in killing people, but standing up for yourself, speaking out against injustice, is another form of vengeance." ~Eva Gabrielsson It takes a village… Watch the news for a mere ten minutes, and you will become acutely aware of the...
Make room for your “existential moment”
“I came to the conclusion that there is an existential moment in your life when you must decide to speak for yourself; nobody else can speak for you.” Martin Luther King Countless people silence their voices in their most important relationships out of fear of the...
Is this frustrating behavior playing out in your relationship?
Weekly Tip: Changing from explaining, minimizing, or justifying your actions to owning the impact your actions cause changes the trajectory of your relationship. There are few things more frustrating, disappointing, or infuriating than constantly having your upsets...
Do you feel great to be around?
“Stay close to anything that makes you glad you are alive.” — Hafez Become someone who makes those around you feel good about themselves. Regarding relationships, this quote reminds me of the importance of the acronym KISS—Keep It Simple ‘Silly' (the last ‘S’ is...
Marriage Is a Partnership, Not a Parent-Ship
"Marriage is a partnership, not a parent-ship. Being the 'boss' over the money makes you a parent, not a partner." ~LMB Finances are a notoriously tricky issue for couples: How much should we save? How much should we spend? What are our financial goals? Should we have...
Is Aggression and Emotional Volatility in Women Okay?
“Aggression, intimidation, and emotional volatility are no more okay for men than for women.” ~LMB Many people hear statements like the one above and quickly dismiss them, saying there is a double standard for men and women regarding anger. They say men can rage,...