Listen to the 4-minute podcast version Watch a 1-minute introductory video I remember third grade as a series of adventures—do kids still have those? My friend Rob was my co-conspirator building tree forts and clambering around houses under construction nearby. I was the mastermind and Rob the test pilot, so
Listen to the 5-minute podcast version Watch a 1-minute introductory video Cancer! Accident! Layoff! These are words which strike fear into our hearts. Neither the strongest of character nor the most faithful believer is immune to the sudden dread that follows the hearing of those terms. These situations hit us
Listen to the 8-minute podcast version Watch a 1-minute introductory video Does your company care about its people? If posed that question, most business executives would quickly answer, “Yes!” And many companies do care, at least about the business results generated, productivity, and effectiveness of their employees. But what about
Listen to the 6-minute podcast version Watch a 1-minute introductory video Nobody starts out saying, “I want to be a workaholic.” Or, “I think I’ll become a codependent parent.” Or a porn abuser, or alcoholic, or drug addict. But it happens anyway. It’s often a gradual process. It starts
Listen to the 6-minute podcast version Watch a 1-minute introductory video [Note from Steve: I wrote this a few years ago but remember those feelings well …] Family relationships are important, worth the investment of time and energy they require. But, sometimes, it’s hard to get them just right. I
Listen to the 5-minute podcast version Watch a 1-minute introductory video Is there anything you keep doing even though it has negative consequences? The answer is, “Yes.” Unless you are the first person in history to have absolutely no issues. As crazy as it may sound, it is actually a
Listen to the 6-minute podcast version Watch a 1-minute introductory video Drinking may not be a problem for you, but at one time it became an issue for me. So I decided to fix the problem—I became an expert on rationalization. Rationalization is when we justify our behavior with logical
Listen to the 7-minute podcast version Watch a 1-minute introductory video As parents, we desperately want our kids to be happy and safe from harm. Unfortunately, there is nothing we can do to guarantee those things happen. They will face trials and troubles, and we do not control their life
Listen to the 7-minute podcast version Watch a 1-minute introductory video The Cold War had just ended but, instead of slowing down, the world seemed to speed up. Once the Berlin Wall came down, borders opened and free elections ousted Communist regimes all over Eastern Europe. The Soviet Union dissolved
Listen to the 7-minute podcast version Watch a 1-minute introductory video What causes addiction? Good question. In search of answers, people have wondered whether addiction can be: A by-product of how they were raised, especially if they were abused? Triggered by circumstance such as divorce or moving to a new
Listen to the 5-minute podcast version Watch a 1-minute introductory video [Note from Steve: Carter is our oldest son. He is doing great now, but his journey included issues with drugs and alcohol when he was a teenager, so I asked him if he had any advice to parents.] Hi,
Listen to the 6-minute podcast version Watch a 1-minute introductory video Society attaches a stigma to many groups, especially those struggling with addiction. Many of us are affected by this branding one way or the other: we are a victim of it, or we perpetuate it. The type of stigma
Listen to the 6-minute podcast version Watch a 1-minute introductory video Some comments say it all. After one STEPS Proactive Parenting seminar, a parent had this to say about the session: Sometimes we need to be reminded that others are experiencing similar life problems, and that it’s ok to talk about
Listen to the 7-minute podcast version Watch a 1-minute introductory video Over the last few weeks, a lot of people have been asking me questions about drinking. Some of the most common ones have been: Is it okay for some people to drink? How do you know if it’s okay
Listen to the 7-minute podcast version Watch a 1-minute introductory video Parents want to raise their kids the right way. But many are hampered by some prevalent misconceptions of modern-day moms and dads. Which lead to mistakes parents make that actually promote, rather than discourage, negative behavior traits in their
Listen to the 5-minute podcast version Watch a 1-minute introductory video Around New Year’s, or any time, does this sound familiar? OK, this is the year, this time you mean it. You’re going to get in shape, save more money, and become a kinder person. Then, you’ll solve that world
Listen to the 6-minute podcast version Watch a 1-minute introductory video High achievers get more done than most people. Sometimes, that achievement comes at a cost. Alan is a high achiever. Although not an actual person, he represents many people. Perhaps you, or someone you know. Alan is smart, and
Listen to the 7-minute podcast version Watch a 1-minute introductory video Do you remember what summer was like when you were a kid? The thrill of the long-awaited last day of school. Giddy anticipation of endless afternoons doing whatever you want, or nothing at all. The promise of exciting adventures
Listen to the 5-minute podcast version Watch a 1-minute introductory video In other STEPS Journey Blog articles, we discussed how widespread addiction problems are in the U.S. But what is addiction? It is simply when we keep doing things even though they have negative consequences, and we find ourselves unable to
Listen to the 9-minute podcast version Watch a 1-minute introductory video All parents want to protect their kids from harm and for them to have happy lives. The question is: “How?” As they grow up, most teenagers make at least some bad decisions, and it’s hard for parents to know
