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May 18, 2015

A Life Well Lived?

Imagine yourself in the distant future. You are 102 years old, reviewing your memories of a long life. What thoughts are going through your mind?


a)I wish I'd spent more time watching my favorite TV shows.
b)I'm so glad I turned off the TV and got involved in life.
c)Why did I spend so much time sitting on the couch staring at a screen? There were so many other things I could have done.
  
a)I should have fought even harder to get everyone to do things my way.
b)I'm glad I was able to relax and let others do things in ways that worked best for them.
c)I realize that I made myself and everyone around me miserable with my petty insistence on unimportant details.
  
a)I always pointed out every mistake in great detail. That was the best way to get my spouse to be a better person.
b)I offered encouragement by emphasizing my spouse's strengths and successes. I tried to keep criticism to a minimum.
c)My constant complaints and put-downs alienated my spouse and family. I wish I had been more positive.
  
a)I didn't waste time thanking my loved ones for their services. After, all, they just did what they were supposed to do.
b)I appreciated everything my loved ones did for me, and it meant a lot to them when I told them how I felt.
c)I wish I had told them how grateful I was for all the big and little things they did.
  
a)Thank goodness, my demanding job gave me a great excuse to avoid most of my kids' activities.
b)Fortunately, I took the time to participate in my kids' lives and watch them grow up.
c)I missed so much. Childhood is over in an instant, and I wasn't there to share it.
  
a)I got tremendous satisfaction from turning away from my spouse and minimizing our sex life.
b)The sexual connection with my spouse brought great joy and pleasure to both of us.
c)How I wish we had made love more.
  
a)I was wise to keep my thoughts and feelings to myself. Letting people get too close is risky.
b)There is no greater joy than the intimacy my love and I experienced when we shared our deepest selves.
c)I missed so much by not allowing myself to be vulnerable and open with the one I loved.
  
a)It was smart to manage my life so that I always catered to other people's expectations.
b)It's a good thing I didn't care much about what others thought. Going my own way and making my own choices made my life fulfilling.
c)What a fool I was to worry about how others might judge me. I suppressed my true nature and never accomplished what I really wanted.
  
Will your future self be grateful to you for the way you are living your life today?

It's not too late to change the choices you make.
 

May 10, 2015

Marriage Advice From Someone Who Blew It

Conventional wisdom tells us to look closely at those who offer marriage advice. How long have they been married? Are they happy? Do they have the kind of marriage we would like to have? As in many areas of life, we tend to believe we should seek advice only from those who are successful. They know what they are doing, and if we emulate them, we'll succeed, too.

It makes sense. If someone is doing something right, that is the person I want for a role model.