Brain Cancer: Five Suggestions for Compassionate Caregiving Stan Goldberg June 1, 2015 Cancer, Thoughts of the Day The death of Beau Biden resurrected memories of caring for my brother-in-law who had a form of brain cancer called Glioblastoma. My wife, two adult children and I took turns flying across the country to...
Chemotherapy, Expectations and Heavy Machinery: Warnings and Suggestions Stan Goldberg May 21, 2015 Cancer, Thoughts of the Day 11 Comments It’s not a good idea to have meaningful discussions, work with heavy machinery, or travel to Europe shortly after chemotherapy. I managed to keep my mouth shut, avoided working with anything...
The Need for Stability: Part III-Five Ways To Introduce It Stan Goldberg May 8, 2015 Aging, Life, Thoughts of the Day 4 Comments Stability, as we age, is more important than excitement. In Part I of this three-part series, I explained the role of stability in aging. In Part II I elaborated on its role in chronic and progressive...
The Need for Stability: Part II-Its Role in Chronic and Progressive Illnesses Stan Goldberg May 6, 2015 Aging, Chronic illness, Life, Thoughts of the Day We often underestimate the need for introducing stability in the lives of people living with chronic and progressive illnesses. In Part I of this three-part series, I explained the role of stability in aging....
Stability : Part I-Why It’s Critical for Successful Aging Stan Goldberg May 4, 2015 Aging, Chronic illness, Thoughts of the Day 3 Comments I came to an understanding about the need for stability when faced with two financial choices. Regardless what I chose either outcome would be fine, unlike a situation in the past were I was forced to choose...
Run Away: Part III-Five Conflict-Related Questions to Ask Stan Goldberg April 24, 2015 Life, Thoughts of the Day We often try to isolate events in our lives from everything that precedes and follows it. The practice is delusional at best, destructive at it’s worst. In Part I of this series I questioned the notion...
Run Away: Part II—The Emotional Cost of Conflict Stan Goldberg April 22, 2015 Life, Thoughts of the Day 2 Comments Maybe it’s because I recently turned 70 and finally acquired the wisdom gained from numerous failures. Or possibly I realize that winning isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. Regardless of the reason, just...
Run Away: Part I-Life Doesn’t Have to Be a Zero-Sum Game Stan Goldberg April 20, 2015 Life, Thoughts of the Day 6 Comments We are led to believe success means winning; whether it’s defeating cancer, coming out ahead in a negotiation, prevailing in a family conflict or justice for a wrong committed against us. These daily...
Why Motivation Alone Stinks: Part III-How to Evaluate Change Programs Stan Goldberg April 10, 2015 Life, Thoughts of the Day You are about to spend time and money on a program guaranteeing you will be slimmer, shapelier, healthier, or more successful. You’re motivated to change, but you were also motivated in the past when you...
Why Motivation Alone Stinks: Part II: Change-You Didn’t Fail; The Guru Did Stan Goldberg April 8, 2015 Life, Thoughts of the Day We place our trust in experts to instruct us how to change. With failure, we rarely blame the expert or her program. Most of the time, that’s where the responsibility should rest. Confusing What and How of...
Why Motivation Alone Stinks: Part I-Difference Between What and How Stan Goldberg April 6, 2015 Aging, Life, Thoughts of the Day Advice gurus flood Saturday morning cable shows with programs on weight loss, exercise, wealth management, and becoming more authentic. By following their instructions we will become the person we deserve to...
Squishy Memories: Part III-Corralling The Mind Stan Goldberg March 27, 2015 Life, Thoughts of the Day In some ways, our memories are like a herd of cattle on an open range; trying to go in whatever direction they choose. Unless they can be controlled and understood, their recall can be destructive. In Part...
Squishy Memories: Part II-Why Does the Mind Change the Past? Stan Goldberg March 25, 2015 Life, Thoughts of the Day In Part I of this series, I wrote our mind’s creation of memories is unreliable since it has a hidden agenda. In Part II I’ll offer reasons why we should trust memories only a little more than we do a...
Squishy Memories: Part I-The Big Con Stan Goldberg March 23, 2015 Life, Thoughts of the Day I was asked if I thought individuals can block memories of traumatic events, and if not, could certain triggers cause these events to resurface. Although the question was about PTSD, I realized it had...
Our Insane and Destructive Thoughts: Part III-What to Do About Them Stan Goldberg March 13, 2015 Life, Thoughts of the Day 5 Comments Knowing what destructive thoughts are is one thing. Knowing how to stop them is another. In Part I of this three-part series, I maintained one form of our insane thoughts is the creation of “what if”...
Our Internal Insane Thoughts: Part I-What Are They? Stan Goldberg March 9, 2015 Life, Thoughts of the Day 4 Comments How many days has it been since you replayed a scene in your mind where you said hurtful, revealing or politically incorrect words you wish could have been taken back? Possibly you were diligent in your speech...
Compassion and Cancer: Part III-Putting “Meat” on Compassionate Behaviors Stan Goldberg February 27, 2015 Cancer, Thoughts of the Day 4 Comments We want to be helpful to whose living with cancer, but often we don’t know how to transform compassionate intent into helpful behaviors. I discussed why compassion isn’t sufficient to be helpful in Part I....
Compassion and Cancer: Part II-How Cancer Changes Identity (Thought of the Day) Stan Goldberg February 25, 2015 Cancer, Thoughts of the Day 5 Comments We like to think life is on a seamless continuum, moving along, maybe in spurts and stops, but having consistency throughout the years, as does our identity. We're the same person today we were last week and...
Compassion and Cancer: Part I-Why Compassion Isn’t Enough Stan Goldberg February 23, 2015 Cancer, Thoughts of the Day 1 Comment We have an inherent desire to be compassionate. In the misery of another person, we see ourselves, if not in the present, than in the past or future. But compassion is not sufficient for helping people living...
Alzheimer’s/Dementia Part III: How to Speak Dementia-Thought of the Day Stan Goldberg February 6, 2015 Alzheimer’s/dementia, Thoughts of the Day Who would think there is anything humorous about Dementia? Most people who experience it or their caregivers wouldn't. But humor and improvisation may be a key element to reducing anxiety and creating joy for...