Five articles were read by more readers than any of the other thirty-something posts of 2011. Following are the articles, their intros and my thoughts about why they struck a chord. Also, my thoughts on my least read article of the year. Feel free to add your own thoughts in the comments section.
Most Read Articles of 2011:
1. The Antidote to Anger and Frustration
When our loved-one erupts in anger and frustration, the last thing most of us think to do is to pour fuel on the fire by telling them they should feel angry and frustrated. Yet when done correctly, providing someone emotional validation can have extremely surprising results that strengthen relationship bonds.
My Thoughts: Emotional validation is something we all need yet rarely get. My guess is that it succeeded because readers asked their significant others to read the article after reading it themselves, or maybe just left it on their pillow after an argument.
2. The Survival Guide for Dealing with Chronic Complainers
Optimists see: A glass half full. Pessimists see: A glass half empty. Chronic complainers see: A glass that is slightly chipped holding water that isn't cold enough, probably because its tap water when I asked for bottled water and wait, there's a smudge on the rim too, which means the glass wasn't cleaned properly and now I'll probably end up with some kind of virus-why do these things always happen to me?!
My Thoughts: Everyone knows at least one chronic complainer who frustrates them with their consistent negativity. Reading a quick primer on how to manage such people can provide much needed relief.
3. How to Test Your Empathy
Something is amiss in our discussion of empathy. I came to this conclusion after a brief search through recent news articles yielded the following headlines: College students have less empathy than past generations, too much testosterone will lower empathy, empathy is considered to be a cause of yawning, and my favorite newsflash, chickens are capable of empathy too...
My Thoughts: Empathy is a harder exercise to pull off than we tend to realize. Learning basic tips to understand how someone feels and express it accurately can be a useful tool.
4. The Affair Warning Sign You Should Never Ignore
The question is not "What kind of person is likely to have an affair?" but rather "What kind of relationship is likely to have one?"
My Thoughts: Affairs are extremely painful for the betrayed member of the couple, and something many people in relationships worry about. Any information that serves as an early warning system can prove beneficial.
5. Is Your Partner Addicted to their iPhone or Blackberry?
A new study found that one third of respondents would rather give up sex for a week than their cell phone. Putting aside the fact that most people have sex less than once a week anyway, the debate about cell phone addiction rages on. The best course of action suffering spouses can take is learning how to complain effectively about the issue so they can discuss it productively and resolve it once and for all.
My Thoughts: People's inability to limit their smart-phone use when in the company of family and friends is the most common complaint I hear as a therapist. It's a problem that will only continue to grow in the years ahead.
Least Read Article of 2011:
Who should hold the Guinness World Record for Complaining?
We complain today more than ever before in history. So it seemed reasonable for me to suspect that someone somewhere was proud enough of his or her ability to kvetch they established some kind of complaining-related world record.
My Thoughts: Okay, so this article was not my proudest moment. I hoped someone would get inspired and commit to a kvetch-a-thon but no such brave soul stepped forward...
Please visit The Squeaky Wheel blog again as there will be many more articles in 2012!
Copyright 2011 Guy Winch
Follow me on Twitter @GuyWinch
