Communication on Og Maciel's Journal

Do They Need Advice — or Just a Hug?

Fri, 03 Oct 2025 00:00:00 +0000

A few days ago, I encountered a note with a simple message: “Don’t give a lecture to someone who needs a hug.”

This simple phrase resonated deeply with me and sparked reflection on how I communicate with the people I care about most.

The Power of Listening

Often, people don’t want solutions when they’re upset; they want to be heard. I’ve learned this lesson the hard way through experiences with my daughters and in my marriage. When someone is struggling, my instinct is to jump in with advice, to fix the problem. But I’ve discovered that rushing to give advice often backfires.

Oops… Did I Really Say That?

Tue, 30 Sep 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Have you ever had one of those days when you say one thing, hear yourself say that one thing, but later realize that you had been saying something completely different all along?

A Gloomy Day, A Bigger Mistake

Today, another gloomy and rainy day, and after my morning routine of exercising and showering, I was full of energy and ready to go carpe some diem, right? Well, let’s just say that things took a weird turn when I realized a deadline I had been communicating all along (this is the thing I heard myself verbally telling everyone) was off by eight days (the thing everyone else heard me say). Eight days off.