billdurkin

What have you been thinking about today? Most of us rarely stop to consider that question. Yet research suggests the average person has more than 6,000 thoughts per day . That’s thousands of mental messages running through our minds from the moment we wake up until we fall asleep. And most of these thoughts are repetitive.  Some estimates suggest up to 75% of our thoughts repeat themselves day after day , and unfortunately, many of those thoughts are negative. Psychologists refer to this...

To  encourage  someone literally means to  give courage . The word comes from the Old French  encoragier  — the prefix  en-  meaning “to put in,” and  corage  meaning “heart.” In the Greek New Testament, the word carries a similar meaning — to come alongside someone to give strength and comfort. Encouragement is not flattery. Not empty praise. Not exaggeration. We give sincere encouragement to boost a person's confidence, improve their mood, and build resilience. We all need someone who...

If we were asked to identify our life-changing moments, I doubt many of us would put emails or text messages high on our list. All human beings, regardless of age, flourish or flounder based on the quality of their relationships . And relationships are built or broken one conversation at a time. And yet, in homes, workplaces, and neighborhoods across the country, too many people spend more time texting than talking.  Even when we are physically together, we can be miles apart emotionally when...