People CAN be single and happy

Society peddles the tired notion that one isn't truly content unless they're married or in a relationship.

Our culture, as you've probably noticed, is highly relationship-centric. Valentine's Day, dating apps, celebrity weddings, juicy hookups bantered about at work. Our Facebook News Feeds replete with articles and memes pertaining to love and relationships, not to mention posts of people professing their love for their partner.

We might as well call it what it really is: a craze. An obsession, if you will.

There's no question that relationships are a wonderful thing. Who doesn't love to hear stories of couples getting engaged on the Eiffel Tower or celebrating their 50th anniversary?

A person can derive a wealth of benefits -- physical, emotional, and financial -- from being partnered up. Provided one is in a healthy relationship, a person's significant other can greatly enrich their life, being there to cheer their successes and help them through life's travails.

But I take issue with the assertion that single people can't be happy.

Whether they've been burned a number of times in the past or simply prefer their own company, people may decide to remain single for a variety of reasons, though it isn't as if they have to justify their decision to anyone.

Just as being in a relationship comes with a slew of perks, so does the choice to live unshackled. Many people would argue that singlehood means less stress, less heartbreak, and more time to pursue personal and professional pursuits, whether that be investing in education, starting a business, traveling around the world, or building friendships. (On the flip side, a partner can help one pursue their goals by, for example, supporting them financially.)

It goes without saying that relationships aren't all peaches and cream.

There are plenty of people who are in relationships, yet still feel lonely and disconnected from their partner. That's why, as I've noted in prior entries, many people find being single to be a better option. If they feel lonelier with someone else, why not fly solo? Your own company is better than that of a partner who mistreats or ignores you!

At the end of the day, neither option is necessarily better than the other. Some people are happy being married, others are fulfilled in relationships, and still others have opted to remain single. It's a simple master of taste/lifestyle preference, and no one should have to seek others' validation for their choice.

Yes, there are many people in the world who are single and quite happy. And no one should presume that there mere fact someone is single likely means they're hopelessly lonely. Solitude -- which so many of us seek to recharge our batteries, collect our thoughts, and enjoy our own company -- is one thing. Loneliness, which no one wants to experience, is another.

Women vs. Men: Who likes to backstab more?

Whether it's on TV or in the workplace, the general consensus seems to be that women gossip, backstab, and stir up more conflict than men do. But, as with every other topic, I thought it only fair to put this so-called stereotype under the microscope. If you watch reality shows like Celebrity Apprentice, you'll notice it's the women who spend far more time bickering. While the men do at times become embroiled in tit for tat, it's the women who are portrayed as meaner and more hostile. In the workplace, I have noticed that women seem to gossip far more than their male counterparts. I haven't really seen any cases where a person blatantly backstabs the other, but I have caught both men and women in little white lies. If it is true that women are generally more into backstabbing and gossiping than men, why is this the case? I believe that it isn't fair to make a blanket statement like "all women play these games while all men keep to themselves and pre...

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...

Men prefer to marry brunettes

Study after study shows that men prefer blondes as girlfriends or mistresses and brunettes as wives . It seems many men see brunettes as more trustworthy and loyal. What's more, even though participants claimed that blondes are better in bed, they feel brunettes are better kissers and more affectionate than blondes. I find these results to be rather interesting. In my high school and early college days, I actually had a preference for blondes myself -- that is, until I hooked up with my now-wife. From that point on, I deemed brunettes as more attractive and marriage material, probably because they reminded me of and more closely resembled her. I think we can blame Hollywood, shows like Baywatch, and Playboy for painting blondes as wild, big chested, promiscuous and loose. (Yes, I know that there are brunettes in Playboy, but they seem to be in the minority.) When someone tells a man to think of an attractive blonde, who do you think likely crosses his mind? More likely than...

How to Read People

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