Communication Junkie

People can't always control what happens to them, but they can control how they react by reframing negatives into positives. Happy people and healthy relationships accomplish this by practicing recalibration regularly.

If you have ever snapped emotionally and said or did something you later regretted, then you're familiar with the Amygdala Hijack. Steve explains what happens during an Amygdala Hijack and what we can do to prevent emotional outbursts from ruining our lives and relationships.

When Steve moved to an area of Cincinnati known for prostitution, the naive suburban kid was shocked. He became obsessed with their lives and wanted to learn more, so he observed the women, their pimps, and the men who paid for sex. Then one night, Steve picked up a prostitute, paid her $40, and drove around for an hour asking questions about her life. He shares the story of their conversation and why it motivated him to assign a similar ethnographical experience to his students.

Steve explains why he believes the only hope for humanity is to begin empathizing with people who don't look, think, or act like us. He shares stories and examples from the #MeToo and #BLM (Black Lives Matter) movements.

Steve peed his pants in first grade. Eleven years later, he watched "Billy Madison" in the movie theater four times. Little did he know, those two experiences would teach him a life lesson about Emotional Intelligence, Social Analysis, and how to be a better human being.

If you've ever stood at a urinal or sat on a public toilet and wondered why you chose that particular pee vessel, Steve explains what bathroom habits teach us about communication context.

During communication, we're usually so focused on being heard (making clever comments, sounding smarter than everyone else, getting the big laugh), that we give away our power. Steve shares the secret to regaining that power while reading other people's minds.

Steves shares the story of going viral after tweeting a joke about the 2014 Cincinnati-Ohio State football game.

Steve explains why misunderstandings are so common in relationships, tells the (maybe) true story of how language was invented, shares how long it took him to say "I love you" to his wife, then gives practical suggestions for reducing interpersonal conflict.