Hello Friends,
It’s spring, 2019. I am mostly retired, have hit 77, and yet still I am playing “WHAT ARE THEY READING?” After seeing over 3000 couples and instead of writing a book, I decided to make my “ working notes” available via Internet. And instead of marketing, I have used word-of-mouth or touch-of-keyboard to spread awareness. I have posted 190 articles in over eight years since March 2005. In the past seven years since June of 2012, when I moved my site to WordPress, they’ve been downloaded 1,110,597 times. Gee!
Top Reads
The top read articles seem to be becoming a fairly steady set. At the “top” are now two articles. One is that article on What to do when he/she leaves. I imagine that in the last year 7,711 hurting people came here, while their partners, 7,711 also hurting people, were elsewhere. But a new article has reached beyond it, What to do when he/she won’t talk to you. Seems to me that people, 12,887, are beginning to be more accurate and sensitive to what is going wrong. Thanks to all of you.
Summary Thoughts
While I’ve been sharing and watching what people do with my writings I have come to certain simple conclusions.
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He/she leaves you cuz the relationship you have with them “sucks” – for them. And it has probably been “sucky” for some time. If it takes someone leaving to get your attention, so be it. Get to work and learn quickly. Fix it.
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Do not rush your partner. Do not let your partner rush you. Develop a pace in talking and doing that is easy for both of you. Make sure you develop easy skills of being together and being apart.
- The partner who seems to drag their feet is the one who sets the pace of growth in the relationship. You two can’t move faster than the slower one’s pace. But you absolutely also need the pressure and impatience of the faster one, to keep things moving. Both are important.
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If you don’t learn how a) to PreValidate and Validate, b) remove MasterTalk, and c) learn the verbal sharing skills taught quickly by Mirroring then you are probably “screwed”.
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Use skills that build safety and get rid of all habits that threaten each other.
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Express feelings often and always safely.
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Take turns being appropriately selfish.
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Learn to like your views/beliefs and make plenty of room for others to disagree.
Of Interest
Stuff I do. There is a series of interviews by Laura LaVigne, eight 1-hour visits with me, all downloadable in MP3. I’ve taught several classes for her during the last few years, and put all my colorful handouts here. Sprinkled throughout are other MP3 downloadable audio files that you can buy, drop onto your IPod/Ipad or a CD and listen in your car. Also you can find me on Facebook. I do consult with people by phone.
Discussion Website
I have spent much time online in one of the many communities that have sprung up to share thoughts and struggles about relationships. I congratulate them all, but have found a current home at Marriage Advocates. If you want to see many new comments of mine on familiar topics, check them out. Also, I encourage those of you, who are really grasping what I write, to consider sharing what you have learned and to work with others.
Ranking of Articles
The following is the ranking of my top articles, with links, in the last three months thru April 1st, 2019. Thanks to all of you for reading, learning something, for sharing it with others, and for referring people here. I hope what I have shared is helpful to you. If it has been, you might let me know. If you want me to focus new writing on some area, please let me know. I have a list. Also I may use your priorities to re-write or expand some of my more popular articles. Drop me an email at al@alturtle.com.
Last three months.
How about it? Want to learn to be empathic? Want to know when you aren't? Want to improve? I believe that more and more people will be talking about the “need for more empathy.” I believe that the primary cause of conflict in our families, our partnerships, our business, our marriages, our political communities, our churches, and in the world, is a pronounced lack of reliable empathic skills.
A fun article with labels for the different types of relationships. Tis all based on my 
I am beginning to use the word Triage to apply to the question, "How much should I get involved? How much energy is it wise to expend on this person? / this couple?"
People frequently come to me with this problem. Some years ago I came up with an answer and have not felt the need to change it. It works. Follow the four steps.