If there's something we can all agree on, it's that life can be wonderful. But it can also be unfair and unpredictable. We are always subject to unforeseen events and situations both in our personal and professional lives.  The company we envisioned working for until retirement suddenly shuts its doors.  Our spouse of 20 years files for divorce, claiming he or she no longer feels that "spark." This is precisely why I encourage people to remain nimble, to always expect the unexpected.  Though it's impossible to detach ourselves emotionally from the things and people we value, we need to approach them logically as well and accept that they may cease to be in our lives someday.  So how do we ensure we're not completely blindsided by unforeseen occurrences? For one, the mere act of visualizing yourself without that person or partner can help soften the blow.  And as the title of this post suggests, you needn't put all your eggs in one basket.  If you're si...

The two most consequential decisions you'll ever make in your life concern your choice of career and your choice of partner. Many of us happen to make these decisions in earnest -- at least for the first time -- when we're fairly young and lacking in life experience.  Perhaps we're just out of high school and we decide on law or pre-med as a major while embarking on a new relationship with someone who ostensibly has "long-term potential" written all over them. As we well know, though, life gives us many different twists and turns, sometimes veering us in directions we never could have imagined.  Events such as these can affect our life trajectory: Going away for college A death in the family  A break-up Switching jobs or careers  Layoffs Starting a business Moving to a new city  Getting married Having kids Illness  But there's no doubt that the decisions we make in our professional and love lives figure prominently in our life satisfaction, or lack thereof....

We've all heard sayings like "patience is a virtue," "good things come to those who wait," and "everything happens at the right time." But are these valid assertions, or just tired platitudes? The fact of the matter is this: Life is a balancing act between striking the right level of patience and working toward one's goals . There's no question that you shouldn't force what you know in your heart isn't for you. For example, if your gut tells you that the position you interviewed for isn't right -- and you can afford to hold off a little longer -- don't accept it if an offer is extended. Or let's pretend you've been single for two years and would do just about anything to hook up with someone. Unfortunately, desperation can drive people to settle for someone who they know deep down is a poor fit. Needless to say, patience can pay huge dividends. You may second guess your decision initially, only to have a mu...

If you sense that you're worthless to someone, don't fret. Smile, because you're priceless to someone else! To the world you may be just a tiny, insignificant speck. But to one person, you may be nothing less than the world. Even though we might have good,  caring people in our lives, many of us become preoccupied with the ones who treat us like dirt. We go to great lengths to rationalize why they're behaving this way, especially if we can't put a finger on what we ever did wrong. We let their mood sour ours. We call and text them numerous times in the vain hope that they will give us the time of day. In short. we let them get the best of us -- but why should we? Your value doesn't decrease just because someone is unable to see your worth. And just because someone perceives you as being of little worth doesn't mean others see you that way. In fact, if you have friends, family, and/or a partner who count you among the most important people ...

Whether it's someone who's already in a relationship, a job for which we didn't make the shortlist, or an item we want that never seems to be in stock anywhere we look, human beings want the unobtainable -- that which is difficult (if not impossible) to make ours. Why does this happen? We assign a higher value to things and people that we deem as being in high demand. If something is too easy to snag, we're led to believe that no one else wants it, so we'd be settling for less by making it our choice. Is it any wonder that stores are able to lure customers with advertisements that say "available for a limited-time" and "while supplies last"? Are those products really in short supply? My guess would be no -- at least not all the time. Retailers capitalize on the fact that people have an aversion to feeling left out. The thought of someone else possessing an item they want for themselves drives people to shell out their money, often in la...

No matter our political affiliation, faith, career, hobbies, or overall outlook on life, we should strive our best to get along and accept each others' differences. The 2016 election demonstrated one glaring fact: the U.S. remains bitterly divided. It pains me to see friends, coworkers, and people on the street bickering over politics, the conversations at times devolving into all-out mudslinging reminiscent of what we saw on the campaign trail. When you find your conversation escalating into a heated argument over immigration, abortion, gay marriage, religion, or any other touchy subject, interject and say, "We'll agree to disagree and leave it at that." Then change the subject. There is enough conflict and resentment in the world as it is. The last thing we need is to engage in a battle of words with people in our lives who mean a lot to us. I'm all for a vigorous intellectual debate. But once talking turns into shouting and shouting turns into a verba...

No matter your career, goals, or dreams, today's as good a day as any to work hard toward whatever you want to achieve. Whenever the urge strikes to put it off until tomorrow, cancel that thought out mentally at once. Focus on being the very best you can be. Immerse yourself in your passions and believe wholeheartedly that you can accomplish anything you set your heart and mind to. Ignore the naysayers and follow your instincts. When the going gets tough, the tough get going. If you don't believe in yourself, no one else will. Make believers out of those who doubt all the great things you're capable of. And if achieving your dreams means not adhering to societal norms -- including pressure your friends, relatives, and coworkers put on you to do things their way -- so be it. It's your life to live, not theirs. Forget about tomorrow. Do your best today, and tomorrow you can build on that.

Whether it's in the realm of love, friendship, or even your career, you should never have to force yourself to do anything. If deep down you feel like something doesn't come naturally, it's probably not right for you. For example, if you find yourself rolling your eyes everytime the person you're dating calls you, chances are you're not into him or her. And if the thought of going on another date seems like a chore, that only adds fuel to the argument. Even if your friends or relatives prod you to give someone a chance, you shouldn't cave if your heart isn't in it. And the worst thing you can do is remain in the relationship only because you feel bad for the other person. All that does is give them false hope. You wouldn't want someone to do the same to you, right? Moreover, if you're forcing yourself to keep alive a decades-old friendship while your buddy seems to have forgotten you exist, there comes a point where you have to say, "i...

That is, if your goal is to become (1) rich in knowledge (2) rich in laughter (3) rich in health (4) rich in family (5) rich in love, and   (6) rich in experiences. Does money buy comfort? Yes. Does it buy security? Yes. Does it buy long-lasting happiness? It could, but that's not always a given. If it were, you wouldn't have wealthy celebrities battling drug and depression problems. Life is about more than money. Material possessions can only bring us so much happiness. Nine times out of ten, I get more enjoyment out of learning new things through a great book, compelling documentary, or visit to the museum than I do buying shirts, household appliances, and other stuff I might not even need. There are so many great things money can't buy. You can't put a price tag on the love shared between friends and family. You can't monetize laughter, especially not the kind that makes tears come out of your eyes. And you certainly can't appraise simple, every...

"Have it your way" was Burger King's slogan for 40 years. The thrust was that consumers could customize their burger any way they wished -- without cheese, with extra pickles, and so forth. I always thought the slogan could be adapted to construct a very powerful inspirational quote -- by changing the first two words to "live life." Thus, "live life your way." That's the motto I feel we should all live by. Dress as you wish. Pursue a career in the field of your choice. Savor the hobbies that make you feel alive. Live your life by your own terms. As I've stressed in several posts, I am ardently opposed to following the herd. Life is too short to try to appease everybody. You'll always disappoint someone. You'll always fall short of someone's expectations.  What's really the point of trying to do things to others' liking? You never know if that relationship will end tomorrow.  We should all embrace our Go...

Many people get into the habit of falling for people who are already married or in a relationship. When asked why they repeatedly pursue people who are unavailable, they say the thrill of chasing after the forbidden -- angling for what they know they can't have -- is too irresistible to suppress. But becoming a homewrecker can have dire consequences. For starters, you're coming between a person and his or her partner, who may even have children together. Studies show that infidelity can cause irreparable damage to a marriage or relationship, with the fallout spilling into home life and even one's career. If a person has that much of a penchant for chasing after the unobtainable, it raises serious questions about the individual: Why not pursue people who are available? Has a lack of self-esteem or other psychological issue convinced the person that he or she isn't deserving of single suitors? Is the person a commitmentphobe? Does he or she simply want to h...

When we were younger, we were often asked, "What do you want to be when you grow up?" Some of the careers we had in mind at the time were real doozies, from baseball player to fireman to world-renowned singer. Needless to say, many of us went on to pursue careers that aren't remotely related to those we aspired to as children. Perhaps our interests changed as we got older, or we decided to venture into an area we found more practical. I guess you can say what I do now doesn't stray too much from what I envisioned as a kid. I always knew I wanted to be a writer, and that I became -- just in a different area. When I was 10, I thought I'd end up becoming a sports columnist. Instead, I wound up as a copywriter in the travel industry. It is my hope that even if you don't work in the field you set your sights on in your childhood, you love -- or at least can tolerate -- whatever it is you do now. We work too damn hard not to derive some enjoyment from our ...

I came across the following quote on Facebook earlier today: "Life is like a camera. Just focus on what's important, capture the good times, develop from the negatives, and if things don't work out, just take another shot." A better piece of advice you'd be hard-pressed to find, as far as living a happy life goes. People have a tendency to become deflated by the smallest things, not to mention by people who, frankly, shouldn't be given so much importance -- neighbors, coworkers, acquaintances, and the like. We focus too much on that which is insignificant. As I've stressed so many times before, people's opinions of you matter to a certain degree, but they shouldn't eclipse how you judge yourself . If what they say or think about you trumps your self-evaluations, then you are just handing over all your power to them in a silver platter. Also, don't get so bogged down over your mistakes . We all make them -- it's a simple part of l...

Many of my coworkers have been working at my company -- and in the same department, no less -- for 20 or more years!  It's doubtless a rarity in this day and age of frequent job hopping.  Most of them lament staying there so long. Promotions have been hard to come by, not to mention they feel utterly stagnant in their jobs. Some tell me they can't remember the last time they actually learned something new. It certainly doesn't help that our department is run by two overbearing women -- my boss is one of them -- who are completely stuck in their ways.  Now in their 50s and 60s, they concede that it's too late to think about moving. They're more focused on retirement now than anything else. Competing for jobs with people as old as their kids, they say, is a losing proposition.  When asked why they stayed there so long, they admit that they became complacent over the years. I can attest to the fact that the company provides employees with a handsome salary...

Your career choice shouldn't be predicated solely on earning potential. While money is important, it means little if you're going to be miserable. I started college as an accounting major. While few other career paths are nearly as lucrative and stable, I just couldn't see myself crunching numbers for the rest of my life. I switched to marketing, which wound up being a much better fit. Many factors beyond money merit consideration, like opportunities for growth, number of hours required, stress, and, most important, whether one actually likes the work. You don't have to be ardently passionate about what you do. After all, you're there to work -- not to have fun. However, your work should be tolerable; if anything, you should enjoy it at least a little. We spend most of our waking hours in the office. Doing something you detest for 40 or more hours a week translates to pure agony -- at least it would for me. One other important factor to consider: Do you su...

As I've gotten older, I've become only more convinced of one thing: Life is never going to be exactly as you want it to be. You may have an idea as to how you want your career, relationships, and friendships to be. You can try your best to will things toward certain outcomes -- whether by manipulation or sheer persistence --but they will never be ideal. The main reason why is because people themselves are too volatile. Experiences and life circumstances shape us into who we are, a process constantly in flux. I wish that I were a lot closer to many of my friends and relatives, but life has pulled us in different directions. Responsibilities like work and children, and even factors like distance, can change the whole complexion of a relationship. And as much as I wish I could choose who I work with and the tasks I am responsible for, this just isn't feasible. There are aspects of my job that I like and others that make it hard to get out of bed in the morning. So wh...

Whether we're talking career or relationships, one mistake far too many of us make is to put all our eggs in one "life" basket. What do I mean by this, you ask? Put simply, we start a new job or relationship and assume that it'll last forever; in the process, we let other potentially better opportunities pass us by. The downside to doing this in the realm of relationships, as I've elaborated on in prior posts, is that even after we get through the so-called honeymoon stage, we still try to overlook the other person's visible faults. We become so caught up in the excitement of a new relationship that we dismiss any potential red flags as our overthinking things. Unfortunately, these "flaws" come back to haunt us later on, resulting in problems that hurt if not damage the relationship beyond repair. I always encourage people to do the following when they've met someone new: - Don't be so quick to fall in love. Get to know the person...

About a month or so ago, I created a post in which I asked readers who need advice to send me their questions, either by commenting on the post or via private message. I got a huge response, with several people asking for relationship- and career-related tips. Due to the overwhelming response, I wanted to submit another such post now welcoming all of you to reply to this post with any questions you may have or sending them in a private message (in case you'd like your story to remain anonymous). Don't be shy -- I'm all ears (or should I say, eyes) and excited at the opportunity to guide people through some of life's big challenges. Need advice or tips to help make your life better? Let me know and I'll be glad to help!

Society has perpetuated this notion that you haven't really made it in life unless you've risen to the top of your field -- that in order to truly be respected by your peers, you have to become a business owner or president, vice president, or director of a company. To me, this is pure hogwash. Not everyone wishes to be in a senior level position in which they're tasked with making pivotal decisions for their department or for the company as a whole. Nor do most people feel drawn to the idea of running their own company. Why? For one, people have different personalities. Introverts tend to be drawn to behind-the-scenes, production-oriented positions where they can let their work do all the talking. Let's not forget that the higher you move up in the chain of command, the less specialized your job is likely to become. For example, instead of only handling, say, research and development, you'll now have to worry about budgeting and assume other responsibilitie...

When we fall into a routine, we can become overly complacent. This works well for some people, but not so much for others. Forward-looking and always in search of ways to liven up my career and marriage, I fall within the latter group. I accept routine up to a point, but eventually it begins to grate on me a bit. I like to feel as though I can look forward to something bigger and better. In the context of my marriage, this means doing new, spontaneous things with my wife -- say, visiting a particular destination for the first time, trying out different foods and restaurants, and partaking in new outdoor activities. Many people say that once the wedding and honeymoon are over with and people finally have to live like a married couple, it's not all peaches and cream. Well, I can attest to that. Marriages, just like relationships, take a lot of work. Once the novelty of a relationship wears off, people need to put in a considerable degree of effort to keep things fun and interes...