Good Clean Reads

by Elizabeth Spannuth

I took advantage of Borders’ going-out-of-business sale and picked up the book, Us: Americans Talk About Love.It is a compilation of interviews with Americans from all walks of life covering the topics of relationships and love. There were no limits on the ages of the participants or how long that they had been in a relationship. The broad perspectives are a mix of...

Learning to identify and build the skills for the Crucial Conversations in your life, whether in your work or personal relationships is pivotal to success or failure in both.   Listen as author and expert, Kerry Pattersonshares his research and advice that has helped over 2 million people navigate the rough waters of high stakes discussions that both resolve problems and build relationships. The...

“This is a moment of suffering. Suffering is part of life. May I be kind to myself in this moment. May I give myself the compassion I need.”

This is a mantra that Kristin Neff, author of Self Compassion shared on my radio show recently when I asked her how can one be kind to oneself.

Self Compassionis an eloquent mix of strong social science research and her own personal stories of discovering the...

I’ve been keeping a journal for the last few months in which I write a short reflection about my day and what I’ve learned and then list things I’m grateful for. It’s a way to keep me authentic and thinking about my daily experience. At times when I’m in a dark place I merely look through the journal and read about how far I’ve come in my personal growth quest. Last night, however, I tried...

“For my part I know nothing with any certainty, but the sight of the stars makes me dream.” -Vincent Van Gogh

Uncertainty is getting the better of me these days. Much of the world feels out of control as I glance through the news. Between cresting rivers, freak tropical storms and impending earthquakes, you would think we humans would apply ourselves to repairing and preparing for the earth’s...

By Carl Frankel

Our culture specializes in compartmentalization. In medicine, for instance, we have cardiologists, dermatologists, orthopedists and so on.

We do this vis-à-vis our relationships, too. We tend to think of them as distinct from the rest of our lives, but this is only partly true. Our relationship strategies are a subset of our life strategies. By and large, we’re as successful at...

Relationship Bootcamp: Week Two

“Blessed are the flexible, for they shall not be bent out of shape.”  -Anonymous

Relationships require stretching. In fact there may be no more important place in life to practice and improve our flexibility than in our hearts. Getting over the belief that our own desires are the most important consideration at any given moment is a lifelong practice in...

“People killin’, people dyin’
Children hurt and you hear them cryin’
Can you practice what you preach
And would you turn the other cheek…”

-Black Eyed Peas “Where is the Love?” (2003)

My most vivid memories of 9/11 were of the phone calls in the tragic last moments of people’s lives. Their final acts were all directed in desperation to communicate the love they felt for their partners, their...

by Tinamarie Bernard

The emerging field of ecosexuality takes cues from many viewpoints and philosophies. There are the practical aspects, like using eco-friendly lubrication, or eating the right sort of foods. Equally important to the fundamentals of ecosexuality is the idea of consciousness; that every choice we make has an impact on the planet and ourselves. In order for humanity to birth...