Here's how to make life more meaningful

The American essayist, poet, and philosopher Henry David Thoreau (1817-1862) once said, "You must live in the present, launch yourself on every wave, find your eternity in each moment."

Put simply, Thoreau meant that life is short, and we ought to make the most of every moment.

He is also been credited for saying, "Our life is frittered away by detail...simplify, simplify."

(In case you haven't read up on Thoreau, he lived in a cabin at Walden Pond for over two years. His purpose? To "live deliberately.")

If Thoreau were alive today, he'd be aghast at how so many people in the country -- and the world as a whole -- have fallen pray to consumerism.

Rather than finding ways to simplify their lives, people seem to be doing the exact opposite, saturating them with more stuff, more people, more noise.

When Thoreau exhorts us to live in the present and launch ourselves on every wave, he isn't saying we should set out on shopping sprees in pursuit of material stuff we may never need.

Instead, he is telling us to look beyond shallow, ephemeral, hedonistic pleasures -- to dig deeper, if you will. By turning to life's simple treasures -- from nature to friendship to knowledge -- we can achieve a real sense of fulfillment that fancy cars and shiny jewelry could never provide.

Indeed, we should soak up the present, for that is where true happiness lies. We can't change the past or do much about a future that has yet to arrive. All we can do is make today as good a day as possible.

Can you say you've taken for granted the sight of the majestic sun setting in the evening? How about the joy of eating something delectable after you've gone several hours without eating? What about the feeling of watching an engrossing film or show?

These moments are so simple and short-lived that we may overlook them without a second thought -- probably because we're preoccupied with our phones or distracted by other things or people in our midst.

While living in the moment for the bulk of our waking hours is a tall order, we should aim to stop what we're doing and take at least a few minutes each day to focus on something simple -- whether the sound of birds chirping at the beach or the sight of someone painting a canvas near the grocery store -- and take pleasure in it.

Think of this way: Those who are blind or deaf would love to be able to experience things we might consider mundane.

While there's nothing wrong with buying stuff for ourselves -- we do, after all, work hard for our worldly possessions -- Thoreau reminds us not to get so wrapped up in the superficial that we lose sight of the things that really do matter in life. We can certainly find joy in the simple.

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...

Do you have Isolophilia? Find out...

You're probably asking yourself, "What in the world does Isolophilia mean?" It sounds like it would be something negative, doesn't it? After all, words that end in "philia" (e.g., pedophilia) tend to involve things we want nothing to do with. But Isolophilia isn't something all people deplore. In fact, introverts like me welcome it. Put simply, Isolophilia is defined as having a strong affinity for solitude. It describes a person who relishes being alone. While extroverts can only take so much solitude, we introverts find that it rejuvenates us. In order to recharge our batteries, we need to retreat to a quiet environment where we we're left alone to rest and/or gather our thoughts. Extroverts, on the other hand, become bored and drained when they're alone for a lengthy period of time. Social interaction is the fuel that drives them. So while an extrovert would probably do anything to avoid feelings of Isolophilia in most cases, an...

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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...

How To Understand People

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