Our belief system is an anchor supposed to keep us safe from danger. But have you ever considered that an anchor has a weight, and that weight can weigh you down? Let me be bold. If you want to sail through a life of purpose, you must first lift the…

If you want to live your life with a feeling of purpose that will keep you on your toes and make you grow, you need to learn how to master your emotions. It’s like having a rudder on a boat that helps you stay safe while you explore. My work…

A case study on the denial of emotional debt. What’s the problem? Betty (name changed) sent me an email titled Question — Emotional Debt. She asked me, “Would you have 10–15 minutes if I wanted to run a scenario by you?” I get it. Many people do not want to talk about their…

“Look the other way if you don’t like it.” “It’s not gonna hurt one bit” is what emotional debt would say to you if it could talk. Like a thick needle about to go through the skin, it will tell you to look the other way, and there won’t be…

When my client first came to see me, I saw a middle-aged woman torn between staying married and getting divorced. She and her husband had been together for ten years. “Why thinking about divorce now?” I asked. …

“Why can’t he understand what I want?” my client said, feeling resentful that the love of her life was not getting it on purpose. “Doesn’t he know what he is doing is causing me pain?” “What is it that you want from him?” I asked. My client swallowed the tears…

Remember playing Monopoly as a kid? Nearly 50% of American households have banned Monopoly from being played in their homes. It’s game night, and you’re looking in the closet for a game to play with family and friends. As you reach for the box with the word Monopoly written on…

I recently saw a movie that got some harsh reviews. Maybe you saw it too? It was Emancipation, starring Will Smith. I wonder if the critics would have been more generous with their praise had that movie been released before the world heard the infamous slap. In the movie (based…

This article is a warning about emotional debt. Among Hallmark’s 80+ million movie fans, most are women between the ages of 25–54. If these women have a secret desire, what is it? I can’t speak for everyone who loves Hallmark movies. What I can tell you is that my secret…