Happy Thanksgiving!

To all my readers in the United States and around the world, I'd like to wish each and every one of you a very Happy Thanksgiving!

Let me start off by saying that I'm grateful for the people for whom I passionately churn out content every day: you.

This two-year-old blog -- nearly 1,100 posts and 212,000 views later -- wouldn't be what it is today without your support; I'll forever be indebted to everyone who takes the time to read, comment on, and/or share my posts.

I look forward to writing more content in the coming days, months, and years that will continue to stimulate the substantive conversations my readers and I have on Google+, Facebook, and within the comments section of each individual post. It's obvious that many of you share my passion for so many of the topics I cover on this blog -- from psychology and human behavior to politics and history -- which is a real treat for someone like myself who has an insatiable appetite for learning.

That said, I want to say a few words about Thanksgiving in general.

It's nice that we have a national holiday that prompts us to stop and give thanks for our many blessings. But as I've noted in prior posts, I believe Thanksgiving should be every day. We shouldn't be any more thankful on November 24 than on January 10, August 17, or September 5, for example.

Not only do I give thanks every day for my family, job, home, and other things/people we tend to single out as most valuable in our lives, but I also include things others don't have that we may take for granted -- including being able to see, talk, walk, etc. So many people in the world are battling diseases and facing other tough challenges that should make us cherish life even more.

It's these people -- the sick, the poor, the ones who could really use a hand -- whom we should pray for and help as much as we can. Doing so is not only in the spirit of Thanksgiving and the holidays, but it's what really sets truly compassionate, humane individuals apart from the rest.

Comments

This will spell the end of your relationship

When asked to think about the most common culprits for a relationship's going south, most people will point to cheating, complacency, and taking one's partner for granted. While these are all valid -- and documented in various posts on this blog -- there are certain habits on the part of partners that may not kill the relationship right away, but cause it to erode more gradually. Among the most egregious of these is expecting your significant other to be perfect. They pick at your follies any chance they get. Nothing you do is ever good enough. In fact, you will never measure up to an ex, neighbor, or accomplished co-worker. Perhaps this all sounds a bit familiar. When you feel as though you're constantly being put under the microscope, it can inflict lasting damage on the relationship and your self-esteem. You're walking on eggshells all the time, praying you don't say or do something that's going to trigger your partner. This is no way to live, let alone ca

No response from someone IS a response

Make no mistake about it: When you don't get a response from someone -- whether they fail to answer your texts or return your phone calls -- it is still a response, and a powerful one at that. When a person fails to respond, it's a direct reflection of their interest -- or lack thereof -- in the relationship. Few things are more aggravating than having to hound a partner, friend, or relative for some sort of reply after we've reached out to them. Yes, we get busy from time to time, but that doesn't give anyone the right to leave the other person hanging. A terse text with something like "Been busy, will reach out soon" doesn't say much, but at least it shows some effort to bring the other person up to speed on why they've fallen off the radar. Failing to provide a response for weeks -- if not months -- communicates that you are just not a priority, and that you'll have to wait your turn to get this individual's attention. This is n

Misconceptions about quiet people

Earlier today, I came across a Facebook page that features motivational quotes intended to improve people's moods and enhance their overall self-esteem. Interestingly, I noticed two quotes that focus specifically on quiet people: "Be afraid of quiet people; they're the ones who actually think." "The quietest people have the loudest minds." I've observed that most people's views of quiet individuals can fall under one of two categories: 1. The ones who say quiet people are antisocial, suspicious, snobbish, and/or full of themselves. 2. The people who say their introspective nature and propensity to be deep in thought makes them smarter than their more garrulous peers. The quotes above speak to this mindset. As an introvert known to be quiet at work and at social functions where I might not know anyone, I feel I'm well positioned to dispel any inaccuracies surrounding quiet folks. First of all, the above statements misguidedly put

How to Understand People

Search This Blog