Several times a year, when I can’t think of anything to write about, I turn to Ryan and ask him to let me interview him. He almost always says no. He says he’s not good at stuff like this. And only occasionally when I persist (and promise marital favors) does he comply. So, without further ado, here’s an interview with my husband.
Name three things you like about your new job:
1. Flexibility
2. Smart people
3. Variety
Name three things you like about your new house:
1. Big trees
2. Bright office
3. Side-entry garage
Name three things you like about your new neighborhood:
1. The variety of people
2. It’s a great walking neighborhood
3. Walking by the lake
Name three things you like about driving here:
1. Stop lights are long, but timed correctly
2. Traffic consists of sitting through one light change, not three
3. Every road looks like you’re driving in a postcard
Name three things you miss from Utah:
1. Being able to see family and friends
2. Middle-priced restaurants
3. Knowing where I’m going
Name three things you do every day:
1. Study for lectures and clinical cases
2. Read the newspapers from Utah online
3. Think about new things to try/do here
Name three things that are different about post-graduate school life:
1. Independence and autonomy
2. The buck stops with me, not someone else. I feel a greater sense of responsibility, especially with my students’ clinical cases.
3. The money’s better
Name three dreams you have for yourself:
1. Live a long and healthy life
2. Develop a SASB-based clinical model
3. Contribute to a happy, healthy family
Three ways that you and I are alike:
1. We both like to have fun and be spontaneous
2. We both like to go with friends, but enjoy time alone
3. We both ask other people a lot of questions about themselves
Three ways that you and I are different:
1. Our decision-making process is different. I’m methodical and analytical….and you’re reckless. (I kicked him after this one, which I thought about thoroughly beforehand.)
2. You like to stay home and I like to go out.
3. You’re calm and I’m anxious.
Three things people can do to improve their mental health:
1. Be friendly, but assertive—it’s OK to state your own preferences, needs and wants in a warm way.
2. Figure out who you are and be OK with it, even if it’s different from what other people want you to be.
3. Really, really practice and pay attention to how negative thoughts affect your mood and your self-esteem and try to turn them into positive thoughts. It takes a lot of practice, but it works.
Three common things people do to hurt their mental health:
1. They make their own well-being dependent on other people’s ideas and expectations of them; or, on their own ability to influence or change others.
2. They have black-and-white views of what things must and must not be like in order to be happy.
3. People don’t usually take time to look at their own way or style of interacting with the world around them, and how that impacts how they experience the world. Simply put, the world is a mirror. Whether you realize it or not, you are creating the experiences you have around you.
4. People don’t usually take time to think about their motivations to do things (good or bad). Being honest with yourself about your motivations will help you make better decisions.
Three simple things that make you happy:
1. Watching Christian play sports
2. Listening to Max describe things
3. Seeing you happy
What about you? Is there something you’re dying to ask Ryan, the husband? Psychologist? Professor? Gardener? Comedian?
