Take all the time you need to assess the other person’s maturity, empathy, caring and respect for your confidentiality before you trust them with sensitive, personal information.

Some days are like this. These days are like this.

Just as physical pain tells us to take our hand off the hot stove, the pain of our anger preserves the very dignity and integrity of the self.

This is what maturity is all about.

I want everyone to have this book nearby. It is the most useful, true, and gorgeously written book on grief and loss that I have ever read or could imagine. ⁦Megan Devine⁩

I’ll always remember Jimmy Carter as our country’s most moral President. I’m glad he had such a long life, well lived.

Getting it right is one of the more difficult and relationship-enhancing New Years resolutions that we might aspire to. Here’s to each of contributing to a more peaceful, generous, and sane year to come.

Thanks to Brené Brown for this useful reminder of the Ingredients of the good apology from our course and podcast. And thanks to @craftydeesigns for putting the list in your splendid handwriting.

Many years ago I came across a quote by Gloria Steinem who said: “To be called aggressive a man has to behave like Attila the Hun, while a woman just has to put you on hold.”

Intense feelings, no matter how compelling, are not a measure of true and enduring closeness. In fact, intense feelings can block you from taking a clear and objective look at who this person is and whether the relationship is good for you.

If the person who hurt you isn’t sorry by now, they may never be sorry. It can take so much courage to accept that the offending party is never going to apologize, never going to see themselves objectively, never going to feel remorse or listen openly to our feelings.