I don't criticize people around me. I constantly tell everyone in our house how great they are. When my wife says something self-deprecating, I tell her to stop talking about my wife that way. When she shows me her homework, I always compliment her and tell her she has a big brain, just like her kids.

I tell my kids every day they are the best kids, and that their mother and I are blessed to get to be their parents. I tell my daughter she is smart and brave and tough and strong and humorous and artistic and wonderful. I tell my son he is a great kid with a big heart and that he is inspiring because he uses his many talents for the benefit of others.

The only person in my house I regularly criticize is me.

Sorry to be such a downer. I get in these funks fairly often. In 2005, when we stopped doing MC, I convinced myself there was no hope for our marriage to be happy. And gave myself permission to stop trying at life. Now that it looks like Mrs. Hold might be willing to meet me halfway, I don't have the willpower to revoke that permission and hold myself to higher standards. Guess I need some accountability partners. I suspect there will be much talk of that in the second half of the misery addiction book.