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Build on last week's "Conversation is a Two-Way Street," parents of teenagers often complain that they can't get their kids to communicate. Sometimes there are good reasons why.
 
Teenagers really want to be able to talk to their parents. In fact, in some cases, they're dying because they can't. A large number of teens who commit suicide are those who feel they can't talk to either parent, and their feelings of loneliness, isolation and despair take over.
 
Parents, without realizing it, do things that stop their teen-aged children from confiding in them. What sorts of things? Well, they… >>>

What do hopelessness, helplessness and stress have to do with rats, astronauts and you?
 
Did you know that right after splashdown, one of the most difficult phases of space flight, NASA doctors found significant changes in the Apollo astronauts' immune systems? Researchers have also found that rats, given electric shocks from which they cannot escape, give up and become helpless.
 
When placed in a box where they can escape the shocks just by moving to the other side, these rats don't even try. They also develop stomach ulcers and abnormal brain chemistry. And, it's not because of the… >>>

Everyone feels frightened from time to time, especially young children. Let's face it. There are some pretty frightening images on television and in newspapers and magazines, and the recent shootings of innocent children only adds to the palpable sense of fear. Today, let's talk about how to handle the fears of the children in our lives, whether they are our children, grandchildren, godchildren, nieces, nephews - whatever.
 
What should you do if your child becomes terrified of the water, or of going to the doctor, or shows fearful or aggressive behavior that you hadn't noticed before? First, don't panic.… >>>

For most of us, the greatest source of happiness in life is to love and be loved. Today, let's talk about why love and optimism go hand in hand.   Think of the strongly optimistic people you know.  Have you noticed the depth and scope of their relationships? Optimists are great lovers! They love many things passionately - nature, sports, music, art, gardening - you name it.

But most of all, they love people. They respond to children and old folks with enthusiasm. They are deeply connected to their families. They are usually involved in doing something to help people… >>>

Are you using visualization to help ensure the results you want in the future? If not, you should be.
 
How good is your imagination? Now, when asked that question, most people invariably say that they have an active imagination. If that's true for you, too, then you should certainly be using visualization techniques to help you get the results you want in the future. 
 
Why? Well, because if you do it right, it works. How do we know this? Here at The Pacific Institute, in all of our offices around the world, we see evidence of it every… >>>

There is great comfort in the familiar, but there is great danger, as well.
 
Most of us feel secure in the belief that we can trust the familiar in our lives, and we feel that there is comfort and peace in the predictable. Actually, while this is true to some degree, it can also be a trap.
 
You see, it is the unfamiliar, the risk, and the unpredictable that liberates us from boredom, unleashes our creative spirit, and enlivens our relationships. And it is the unplanned and unknown occurrences that make our life rich in possibilities.
 
Of… >>>

People have trouble accepting criticism, but how about when it's time to accept a compliment? Today, let's talk a little about receiving compliments.
 
How well do you receive a compliment? People who have a healthy sense of self-esteem, and who are concerned about empowering themselves and others, know how to receive compliments that are well deserved and sincerely meant.
 
They do it in a way that is gracious and that enhances their own self-image, as well as that of the giver of the compliment. All too often, and you have seen this yourself, people turn away compliments with… >>>

Today, let's look at what parents can do to help their children develop good character.
 
How do people develop character? Well, first and most important, by what they are taught and what they see as they grow up. Very simply, placing examples of virtue in front of young people as early as possible, and as often as possible, forms character.
 
It is those positive pictures that they see, absorb, and understand are of great personal value that they will be drawn toward. Human beings are picture-oriented; it's hardwired in our brains.
 
You see, you don't build character… >>>

We've all heard the saying "the truth hurts." But while lying to protect someone else's feelings may seem easier, it can be very damaging in the long run. Let's talk about truth in relationships.
 
Lying to someone you love can be devastating and can undermine their trust in you for a long, long time. How do you feel about this whole business of lying? Would you prefer that those around you keep unpleasant truths from you? Or, would you prefer to know the truth, no matter what? 
 
How would you like the truth told to you? Brutally, with… >>>

Today, let's look at what parents can do to help their children develop good character.
 
How do people develop character? Well, first and most important, by what they are taught and what they see as they grow up. Very simply, placing examples of virtue in front of young people as early as possible, and as often as possible, forms character.
 
It is those positive pictures that they see, absorb, and understand are of great personal value that they will be drawn toward. Human beings are picture-oriented; it's hardwired in our brains.
 
You see, you don't build character… >>>