Some people become heavily invested in their relationships -- almost to a fault. In fact, they seem to forget there's actually a world outside of them. They lose sight of the fact that the other person in the relationship -- whether it's their friend, parent, or significant other -- is not attached to them at the hip; the person is still a separate individual with his or her own goals, dreams, fears, hobbies, and personality. No one likes feeling as though they're being surveilled or suffocated. Unfortunately, though, many of us contend with a partner who lets his or her insecurities come out through these two particular behaviors: 1. They're controlling. A possessive partner wants to dictate everything from what you eat and how you dress to who you can talk to and when you should come home. They treat you more like a child than as an adult, not allowing you to make your own decisions. Unfortunately, people can be this way for a variety of reasons. They may fe...

It's that time of the year again -- kids across the nation are commencing what they -- and their teachers and parents alike -- hope will be a fabulous school year. Now that school is back in session, we can certainly count on two things happening, especially in the next couple of weeks: 1. Traffic will get worse: If you happen to live and work near school zones -- as I do -- your commute most definitely will get longer.  In my case, during the school year it takes me roughly 10-15 minutes longer to get to work in the morning and home in the evening.  I try to leave extra early in the morning to beat the traffic, which often results in my getting to work an hour early. That's when I recline my chair in the chair and pull out a book -- or, I get a few extra Zzs.  As for the evening, if I see traffic slowing to a crawl, I stop by a nearby Starbucks or library -- book in hand -- and wait it out. If I leave an hour or two later, I usually get home in abou...

If you were to write a note or letter to a much younger version of yourself -- say, your teenage self -- what would it say? Which life lessons or tips would you be sure to incorporate? Here are a couple that I would include: Enjoy your college years to the fullest. Once you graduate, you'll be entering the not-so-fun world of bills and responsibilities. Don't rush to find love. It's better to take it nice and slow. You don't want to feel like you trudged through a significant chunk of your life with someone who turned out a poor fit. As you get older, you'll encounter people at work and elsewhere who will try to get you to change. If you don't drink, you'll run into people who will pressure you to do so. They'll also question things like why you aren't married, why you don't have kids, why you're so reserved, why you didn't become a doctor or lawyer, and so on. What should you do? Never give in, of course. If people can'...