Zany people are the kind of people you like the most. In this edition of Dr. Ross's Life-Lifting Words, he discusses this fun word and in the process encourages all of us to drop the pretenses and be the kind of person others like to be around - be zany!By Dr. Ronald D. S. Ross

Everyone’s looking for the good life! And YOU can have it! Here’s what you need: Education, information, conversation, observation, participation, determination and one more! To find out the “one more,” take a few minutes (less than eight) and listen to this podcast! You want to find the good life, right?…

One guy bragged to his friend that he was able to get out of his marriage without the use of an attorney! He told how he and his “Ex” were able to settle things by using a mediator, and that saved him a lot of money! In this brief (five-minute) podcast, Dr. Ross speculates why their marriage ended – both funny and tragic possibilities. You’ll like …

Dr. Ross has prepared for you a checklist that reveals a variety of clues that your marriage relationship is growing, flowing, and glowing! Use it to self-check your progress toward the happy marriage you dream of! Dr. Ross believes you can have a healthy, long-lasting marriage. Listen to Dr. Ross briefly discuss each item in Heartfelt Marriage Pod…

Romance is alive and well, according to Dr. Ross! In this podcast, he takes the word ROMANCE and shares what romance (courtship, flirtation, and passion) is all about and how it creates spark in your marriage relationship. He says, “Romance is a gift to your beloved, expressed in the loving ways you treat each other day-by-day. Love is what gets yo…

From Dr. Ross: In the previous podcast, I started a series titled “How Good Can Our Marriage Be?” Part one was supposed to be this: “Your marriage is a place where love-hungry hearts can be filled.” The problem is, I started writing it and realized it was essential to the entire series. I found it impossible to deal with the love-hungry hearts them…

How good can your marriage be? Now there’s a question worth asking! It’s a good question because it focuses on the strengths of your marriage, rather than the weaknesses. Lots of marriage specialists like me focus more on the negative side of a marriage relationship. The question is always, “what’s the problem?” rather than, “What do you two do wel…

A long and healthy marriage is a marvelous thing to experience and a blessing for children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. But, how do you make it happen? How do you get longevity in your marriage? Dr. Ross’s marriage lasted over five decades. In this Podcast, he says, “How long you stay married depends on how you look at each other.” He t…

When children arrive in a marriage, priorities change, focus shifts, hand-holding turns into hand wringing, and sweet kisses turn into swift pecks on the cheek. Erotic encounters turn into repetitive intersecting. Tedium replaces erotica. Saving money overrides spending money. Boredom and bedlam, frustration and fear, confusion and concern overwhel…

There is a long-standing myth that libertine singles have all the sex and married people live sex-deprived lives until they finally get divorced and rejoin the sexually liberated singles crowd once again. It’s a myth – and the popular magazine, Psychology Today (online), has the evidence. Their article is titled, “6 Reasons Why Married Couples Shou…

Can you think of anyone you know who has or had a successful marriage? Maybe your parents – maybe an aunt and uncle who always seemed to make good decisions, loved each other and got along nicely. Perhaps it is a friend you have in your MOPS group or a buddy you like to be around at church or at your service club. In this podcast, Dr. Ross discusse…

Over ten years ago a rumor got out that half of all marriages in the U.S. end in divorce. Guess what, it was a rumor. The “fact” was checked and disproven, but the news was reported again and again and again until it became believed more than Santa Claus. Some years ago, some sociologists asked recently married and divorced Americans a dozen or so …

Dear Friend, After my wife’s death, I found out things about her that I never knew. Our oldest son, David, was her undisputed favorite child, and he revealed to me a couple of her secrets. I’ll tell you about one of them in this podcast. The theme is that both husband and wife are individuals who make up a common third entity called marriage. Howev…

Responsibility is two-words in one: “response” and “ability.” That’s what Dr. Ross discusses in this podcast. He points out that some really good stuff happens to people who take responsibility for their lives. When you’re in charge of you, you create your own fortune – your own vocation – your own calling. When you blame others, you forfeit your f…

While getting a haircut recently, my hairdresser, Jackie (not her real name), told me a sorrowful story about betrayal, suicide, and struggle. I share the story with you in this week’s podcast because I want you to receive the same encouragement I gave Jackie. The story will break your heart, but I want it to motivate you to do everything you can t…

From Dr. Ross: I have officiated at over 300 marriages. In the process, I noticed that many brides and some grooms think it’s like they are in a Hallmark movie. The bride thinks the guy she’s in love with is Mister Perfect, her long-awaited soul mate, the kindest most generous most loving man she’s ever met. She thinks. And the guy thinks something…

What is your favorite Christmas memory? What was your worst Christmas? As the dad and mom in your household, you’re the ones who create Christmas memories for each other and your children. In this podcast, Dr. Ross shares Christmas memories from his marriage to that “cute little Colorado girl named Amy Kay” that he was married to for over 50 years!…

What does it mean to be content? Dr. Ross answers the question with two fascinating stories – one is about the time he moved his young wife and two toddler children to Africa. When they arrived, all they owned were the clothes in their suitcases. This experience taught them what contentment was all about. His second story is about a recent visit he…

In this podcast, Dr. Ross reminds us that the holiday season is a time when family memories are made. He begins with a personal story about how he almost ruined his first Christmas with his teenage bride well over 50 years ago. He continues with some touching memories of the last days of his long marriage to “that cute little Colorado girl named Am…

“I just want a happy marriage!” is a lament you hear often. In this podcast, Dr. Ross shares with you an almost sure-fire way to plant the seeds of happiness in your marriage relationship – and it’s something you can start doing today without even telling your mate. The best thing is – it’s EASY, FUN, and FULFILLING for you, your mate, and everyone…

Family is the worst and best thing on earth. Family is the happiest and the saddest place you can be. Family is the sweetest and sourest bunch of people you’ve ever met. Family is rich and poor, strong and weak, heaven and hell. No matter what your family is like, it is worth every ounce of positive energy you can muster to make it good, make it sa…

Marriage counselors agree that if your spouse is your only friend, then your marriage may be fragile. Why? Because a good friend helps you survive the stress of married life. A good friend helps you live out a healthy and till-death-us-do-part kind of marriage. Do you have a positive, life-blessing friend outside of your home? If you do, then you a…

Have noticed that bored people seem to create the most drama – and it’s the nasty, negative tragic spectacle kind of drama that damages rather than entertains? Boredom in marriage inevitable. How do you solve it? With a little adventure! Adventure stirs up excitement and renews and strengthens the connections between husband and wife. In this Podca…

Which works best for you – a big deal honeymoon-like trip once every two or three years OR frequent delightful every-day expressions of admiration, appreciation, and love? Dr. Ross believes that most husbands and wives know that big deal events are exciting and memorable, but not nearly as important as the little daily things you do to bless your m…

Money issues are responsible for 22% of all divorces, making it the third leading cause of divorce, According to the Institute for Divorce Financial Analysis. Are your finances marginal or marvelous? How do you talk to each other about money issues? Is it a fight where you blame each other for the high credit card debt, insufficient income, or mone…

Besides, “I love you,” the greatest message you can give to your mate is, “We’re in this together no matter what.” That kind of declaration, that kind of commitment, gets you away from blaming, or arguing, or neglecting, or ever running away when things go bad. If your family hasn’t been thrown off balance by tragedy, mistakes, or misfortune, watch…

When you got married, both of you had preconceived ideas about how you would act and what you would do around the house. In most cases, the wife learns how to be a wife and mother by watching her mother, and the husband learns how to be a husband and dad by watching his father. The problems come when the perceived role relationships differ between …

Your marriage will go from marginal to marvelous if you do this for your mate: make your home a place of refuge, your relationship a place of trust, and your little kingdom a place of protection and hope. There are all kinds of storms out there – some caused by the weather, some caused by circumstances, and some caused by the people we live with. W…

The word harmony has a variety of meanings. For many, harmony refers to music - a word that refers to notes of instruments and the sounds of voices blended for music that is pleasing to the ear. In the dictionary, the musical meanings of harmony are second to its reference to human relations – to agreement, cooperation, and tranquility. Apply those…

Wouldn’t you love to hear someone describe your marriage as one of harmony, beautiful proportion, and balance? “Well, duh!” I can hear you say. “Of course, but how can we get it In this podcast, Dr. Ross assumes you and your mate really really really would like to have a marriage relationship marked by harmony, beautiful proportion, and balance. Si…

How do you see your marriage? How close is it to the image you had when you said, “I do”? Have you and your mate ever talked about how you want your marriage to look and feel? It’s a challenge because two people who love each other can have disparate views of what a marriage should be. It’s not a bad thing to have differing views, but it can be a p…

Once married, emotional and real picket fences tend to box in even the most creative and life-loving couples. Suddenly or slowly, usually slowly, life gets complicated. Your world changes from being vast and interesting and colorful, to small, monotonous, and even disagreeable. You go from the joy of the wedding to the predictability and dreariness…

In this podcast, Dr. Ross declares, “There is no one like you on earth! You are uniquely you.” Look around you; “average” hardly exists. There are many characteristics that make you different from everyone else: physical structure, intellectual capacities, personality expression, psychological distinctions, lifestyle preferences and much more. Also…

Everything demands maintenance. Your car, your house, your body, and your marriage. Your car will eventually break down if it is not maintained. Your house will become dirty, dilapidated, and unlivable if not cleaned regularly. Your body will deteriorate even faster without proper diet and exercise. Perhaps, most importantly, your love relationship…

There are four ways you magnify your love relationship and rise together in love! Two of them were shared in podcast number 61. They are, delight in each other's company - become each other's very best friend, and liberate your mate - help them get past the bad stuff of the past and become all that God wants them to be. It was Part One of chapter 1…

Every love story ends with "they lived happily ever after." But this "ever after happiness" involves much more than the loving stares, beating hearts, gentle touches, and adoring words exchanged when you met that special person. Now you're married and things have changed a little bit - sometimes a BIG bit. Dr. Ross says, "If you've been married for…

Even the best lovers sometimes squabble. When they do, a discussion can turn into a debate and debate into a battle, and if allowed to, a battle can turn into an all-out war, and someone gets hurt. You don't want that to happen. You want to reconcile your disagreements and create an atmosphere of harmony and unconditional love. Dr. Ross says, "A ha…

Many husband/wife relationship problems occur, not as a result of words or deeds that happen after the wedding ceremony, but the effect of injuries that came during childhood, adolescence, and some bad choices made along the way. Some of our wounds are so deep they are hidden from our view until someone, or we identify them and seeks healing. The g…

One way to combat complacency is to celebrate more often, after all, who doesn't like a good party, even if it is only a 20-minute stop at the Village Inn for a cup of coffee and a slice of Apple pie (ala-mode, of course)? Celebration is good for the soul. Life is wearisome, and praise is sporadic if at all. We need a few "at-a-boys," a frequent "y…

Do you and your mate laugh together? When you do, you draw closer together, the space between you diminishes, and the bonds strengthen that hold your marriage together. If you want more laughter and fewer tears in your marriage, this podcast is for you! Dr. Ross reveals three positive habits you can nurture that will decrease the sadness of tears a…

Even the best marriages have problems, and the most loving couples sometimes suffer discord. Why are some marriage relationship dilemmas so unsolvable? Why do some marriages get sick stay sick and never heal? In this Podcast, Dr. Ross discusses some of the reasons and offers hope for every marriage! He believes that when both of you decide to do wh…

Healthy marriage: seeks wisdom Hurting marriage: favors folly One sign of an unhappy marriage is a long list of bad choices. Wisdom knows the difference between right and wrong; folly doesn't care. Wisdom knows when a choice is good or bad, folly figures you can clean up the mess later. Wisdom knows the dramatic difference between truth and delusio…

Husbands make mistakes - so do wives; this means both must become skilled forgivers. The question isn't whether or not you or your mate will screw up something important; the question is what happens after the mess is made? Will you forgive or will you live in resentment? In this Podcast, Dr. Ross says, "The place to start is in your heart. Not in …

"I just want a little peace and quiet!" screamed a young mother. The problem is, children take time to grow up. Not only that, relationships take time to mature, troubles take time to resolve, and opportunities take time to develop. Life never moves at the pace we prefer. Sometimes it moves so slowly we think time has stopped. Then next week or nex…

What Do You Expect? Healthy marriage: expects success Hurting marriage: assumes failure Podcast 052 By Ron Ross The Law of Expectations states that our imaginations, thoughts, and emotions, whether positive or negative, have a powerful influence on our mind-body connection and impact the people around us and the events of our daily lives. Stated si…

"Why is it always my fault when something goes wrong?" Blaming in marriage is a dangerous and love-snuffing game. It is a difficult behavior to deal with because every spat quickly turns into a debate about who did what and why and whose fault it was. When blame is the name of the game, there is seldom a time, place or desire to face the reality of…

Married couples can easily suffer from the debilitating "do-it-yourself" disease. Some couples are convinced their relationship will someway, someday, get better even if no one takes any initiative to change. In this podcast, Dr. Ross gives five reasons a married couple might hesitate to seek help. Then he gives five reasons that demonstrate the sa…

If I asked you to describe the changes you have endured (or celebrated) over the years of your marriage, you would have a variety of stories to tell – some good – some bad – most, inevitable. Everyone does. In this podcast, Dr. Ross reminds you that when change happens, you have two choices: to look backward or to look forward. When you look back, …

The easiest thing to do on earth is to whine, complain, and make excuses. Most complaints start with, “Why do you always …” or “Why can’t you ever …” or “You drive me crazy every time you …” And it can quickly get real nasty. What good does it do to moan and make excuses? Not much. Misery is the only consequence of whining and complaining. In this …

An over-expressed ego within marriage is toxic and can be fatal to your relationship. If one of you thinks the whole world revolves around you, if you think you know everything and understand everything and the other mate is unworthy or uninformed, the relationship is a long way from WE. The poison of ego starts its lethal attack on the marriage. I…