Self-improvement Feed

Will U.S Students Be Able to Catch Up to Their Foreign Counterparts in Reading and Math Skills?

Who or What Should Be Blamed You may have read recently in The Wall Street Journal or elsewhere that the reading skills of American students are deteriorating further, according to new national test scores. Compared with 2019 results, eighth grade reading scores are now down eight points. Reading scores are... Read more →


Lack of Impulse Control is the Root Cause of Mass Shootings

Analyzing the Causes and Possible Solutions to Gun Violence in Our Schools Add impulse control to the list of reasons mass shootings occur, especially at our schools. The shooting at Abundant Life Christian School in Madison, Wisconsin by a 15-year-old female student that left three dead, including the shooter from... Read more →


What is Meant by the Phrase: "I Appreciate You?"

Affirming Your Belief in Others From time to time, I read postings on Psychology Today that really resonate with me. I value their analyses on all issues related to emotional development, including kindness, empathy, caring and consideration. These are ethical values that make for a good person, one who knows... Read more →


Cultivating Moral Resilience

The Antidote for Powerlessness Last week I blogged about the concept of moral distress. Moral distress is defined as knowing what to do in an ethical situation, but not being allowed to do it. Moral distress is the feeling that we've compromised ourselves due to external forces beyond our control.... Read more →


Have Americans Grown Too Soft?

Who Will Defend the U.S. in Case of War? A new poll from Echelon Insights shows the alarming result that 72% of American voters would not be willing to volunteer to fight for their country if the U.S. faced a major conflict. Twenty-one percent said they are willing to volunteer.... Read more →


What is Character?

Making Ethical Decisions It has been said that “The true test of a person’s character is how they behave in difficult times.” John C. Maxwell is credited with making this important observation. Maxwell is an American author, speaker, and pastor who has written many books, primarily focusing on leadership. I... Read more →


Focus On What You Can Do Rather Than On What You Can’t Do

You Cannot Control What Happens on the Outside Many of us obsess over the things we can’t change. One of the worst things in life is for something bad to happen to you and you can’t control it. It’s happened to me many times before. Typically, I obsess for a... Read more →


Using A CURE Approach to Enhance Ethical Behavior

The Keys to Building Emotional Intelligence I previously blogged about how and why empathy and compassion are critical components of ethical leadership. However, this is only one-half of the story about how approaching ethics from an emotional level can enhance ethical leadership. Ethical leaders also need cognitive skills to make... Read more →


9-Year-Old Achievement Scores Reflect the Failure of the U.S. Education System

Don’t Blame Covid for the Decline in Math and Reading Scores Perhaps you have heard that Math and Reading scores for 9-year-olds in the U.S. fell between 2020 and 2022 by a level not seen in decades, a troubling sign of the state of American education two years after the... Read more →


Gratitude is the Key to Wellness

Ways to Express Gratitude to Others Ralph Waldo Emerson said about gratitude: “Cultivate the habit of being grateful for every good thing that comes to you, and to give thanks continuously. And because all things have contributed to your advancement, you should include all things in your gratitude.” This is... Read more →