If you’re feeling overwhelmed by the pressures and busyness of life, you’re not alone. And if you aren’t careful, those things can lead you to a searing desert where joy evaporates. But solitude and silence are an oasis that can help you gain perspective in at least five ways. First, solitude and silence can make you feel helpless and help you realize you’re not in control of so many things in life. And when you realize that, a sense of freedom comes with it.  Second, solitude and silence force you to address issues you’d rather avoid. And when the root cause of many of your problems becomes clearer, they can then be clearly addressed. Here are more of my thoughts on Why Solitude and Silence Are So Important.

It’s tough to lead at the office. You have constant HR headaches, cash flow issues, and operational problems, just to name a few. But it’s a lot tougher to lead at home.  Why? First, you can’t fire your children. You’re a parent forever, no matter what your children say or do. Second, there is no paid or unpaid time off. You are always on the job, 24/7, doing their laundry, helping with homework, carpooling them to school, practice and games. Third, there are no salaries, bonuses or raises. As a parent, you are more like a constant ATM. Here are the rest of the 5 reasons why home is the hardest place to lead.

Words matter.  I choose them carefully and look for the right words for the situation. But I’ve learned there’s a fine line between being curt and courteous. How we say the words is as important as what we say.  There are three things we need to remember about communicating with our spouse that make all the difference.  First, the way we use our body can change an innocent comment into the start of something bad.  Arms folded?  Eyes rolling?  Lack of eye contact?  Clenched jaw?  Smirky smile?  These communicate the wrong thing and should be avoided.  Here are more tips to find out if you are Being Curt or Courteous with Your Spouse. 

You see your son every day.  But how often do you spend uninterrupted one-on-one time with him?  Love your son well by planning out a date for just the two of you.  Here are some great dates for moms and sons.  First, play a sport together.  Most boys love being active.  Even if you’re not the best athlete, be a good sport by going to the batting cages or basketball courts with him.  Second, chow down.  Surprise your son with a trip to his favorite restaurant and enjoy a great meal and conversation together.  Here’s the rest of the list of 8 Great Dates for Moms and Sons.  

When it comes to relationships, communication can be emotional.  So it needs to be handled carefully. There are some basic truths that Susan and I try to keep in mind when we’re trying to sort through relational issues.  First, remember that we’re all made for relationships.  Maybe this is obvious, but we sometimes forget that life is not just all about “me.”  When we get stuck on ourselves, we lose perspective on this basic truth. Real relationships are built between two people that acknowledge the needs of each other.  Here’s more on the 6 Relationship Truths About Family. 

Our daughters are under attack.  Everywhere they turn, culture is telling them that they aren’t good enough.  As fathers, we have an obligation to instill confidence, along with humility, into our daughters.  So here are some tips for raising daughters to be confident.  First, truly listen to her.  Listen more, lecture less. She needs to know she has your ear, you really understand her, and that you are there for her. Second, tell her she’s beautiful.  Some reports suggest that only 2% of women think they’re beautiful.  Changing this mind-set begins in your own home. Make sure your daughter knows she’s beautiful inside and out.  Check out more ways to Raise Your Daughter to Be Confident.  

Life can be routine, mundane and can feel like a washing machine going round and round. In the cycle of life, how can we make sure we are living a life that’s significant? NFL broadcaster JB Brown says one way to live significantly is to recognize your gift and perfect it. We’ve all been blessed with special gifts and talents and if we perfect them we can impact the world around us for good. By perfecting his gift, JB is now able to affect millions every week during the NFL season. For more on living a life of significance, listen to my interview with JB on this week’s episode of the Family First Podcast.