Let’s talk a little bit about what to do when our spouse is annoying.

 
There’s one really important thing to remember: our feelings are our responsibility. Nobody made us feel anyway. If we’re feeling something, if we’re annoyed, or frustrated, or we’re blaming, or pointing fingers, all these things, that is a red flag that we need to turn around and look within. We get really good at pointing fingers outward and not looking inward. Our feelings are our responsibility.
If something that our spouse does annoys us, that is a trigger for our own stuff. Oftentimes we get annoyed at the things that are our habit patterns from the past. Maybe it’s something that our parents did or something that we grew up with that we didn’t like.
We grow most in our love relationship, because the person we’re with brings out all of our stuff like no other.
So if we stop focusing on all the ways that our spouse annoys you, and we start thinking about all the ways that we get to grow as a result of them annoying us, and all that we get to learn about ourselves as a result of them annoying us, then life gets a lot better. We stop blaming and we start growing.

This is a parenting tip that you should never, ever forget…

 
Make memories. Really. Make memories. Special memories.
My mom is gone. She died in a car accident in the last few years, but one of the most important things she did was make special memories, moments that were unique, that weren’t mundane, that didn’t happen every day.
We can’t remember most of our lives because we’re in the same, monotonous flow. Because of that, it’s really fundamental to make memories, to have these special moments that you create with your kids that actually last. Whether it’s having a picnic in the backyard, or whatever, make something up. It doesn’t have to cost money, it doesn’t have to be elaborate, but just different than ordinary, everyday life.

Living in social-media-land comes with a lot of issues. We often reach out to people, and they don’t respond, and we’re offended, and a lot of underlying feelings come up.

 
This happens because social media has become a third line of communication. We have verbal communication, nonverbal communication, and now we have social media picture communication. It’s a whole different world of communicating.
One thing to remember when communicating online is: don’t take it personally. Right now people are so bombarded with information, that if they don’t respond, and if they are not engaged with you, it’s probably not personal. They probably just have a lot going on.
So, just remember, be compassionate, continue to try, and if they’re just not interested, they’re just not interested. Some people might not be ready, open, or interested in what it is that you have to offer, but others are.

Today I want to talk a little bit about the difference between women’s needs and men’s needs.

 
Oftentimes, we assume that the other has the same needs that we do, and it’s not the case. Here are a few surefire ways to repel your significant other.
Ladies, if you are doing any of these three C’s: criticizing, controlling, or closing yourself off, it’s a surefire way for your man to disconnect.
Men, if your lady isn’t feeling understood, accepted, or safe, both emotionally and physically, then that’s a surefire way for her to disconnect.
So it’s really important, ladies, stop criticizing, stop controlling, and stop closing yourself off to your men. And men, just get present, see your ladies, understand them, and let them feel safe to be who they are. That brings everything back together.