Being happy does not mean everything in your life is perfect. It means that you've decided to look beyond the imperfections and haven't looked back. Let's face it: There is no such thing as the perfect life. Between stress at work, mounting bills, obnoxious people, pesky health issues, financial pressures, and other challenges we face, our lives are never entirely carefree. However, those who adopt a half-glass-full approach can view this as a positive. Think about it. What would life really be like if we had no obstacles to overcome? How would we achieve growth? In what other ways could we acquire wisdom? If we didn't have rough times in our lives, we'd be less likely to appreciate the tranquil, trouble-free periods. If we had no problems to resolve, we wouldn't know how gratifying it can be to resolve them , especially when it results in people becoming closer. Sure, no one wishes for, say, health or money woes. But many would agree that only by...

A relationship doesn't stand a chance of surviving without compromise. If partners aren't willing to find common ground and meet somewhere in the middle, the road ahead will surely be a bumpy one. As I noted in a recent post, selfishness has no place in a relationship. Once you become seriously involved with someone, the carefree days of doing whatever you want, whenever you want, are over. That's why you should never enter into a relationship unless you're willing to part with some of the freedoms you enjoyed when you were single. Being in a relationship means not always getting what you want. It means that you won't always get your way. It means the feelings and views of your partner need to be taken into account before certain decisions are made. Once you're in a relationship, it's no longer about "I," but "us." You and your partner are a team, and the two of you have to make choices that may not benefit you or him/her in the...

Nelson Mandela once said, "A good head and a good heart are always a formidable combination." I think he was spot on. We should never allow the heart to dictate all our decisions, nor should we let rationality call the shots on its own all the time. Instead, we should balance what the mind wants with what the heart desires. The two should work in tandem with and complement each other, thus allowing us to make better decisions in the process. Wearing your heart on your sleeve all the time might lead to your being taken advantage of. And using logic as a guide without ever considering your emotions can be conducive to playing it too safe. With the latter, you're being too carefree. With the former, you're being too rigid. The ideal? Striking a healthy balance between the two. As long as the heart checks the brain and vice-versa, one is better positioned to make better choices. Do you agree with Mandela?

Being a kid is similar to being a parent in that someone else usually dictates and/or influences many of the decisions you make . As a child, you answer to your parents and abide by their rules. As a parent, your spouse and kids exert a major influence on your choices. Either way, your flexibility is limited, as other people in your life play a chief role in your overall lifestyle. Things are markedly different in our late teens/early 20s, however, as we transition into young adulthood. For most people, the college years are the only time in our lives where we're responsible for -- and answer to -- no one but ourselves. I don't look back on my childhood fondly. My parents got divorced when I was only 3, and my father was extremely overprotective of me. Having to go from one house to another each week was not fun in the slightest. Middle school and high school were largely forgettable. College, on the other hand, afforded me the opportunity to reinvent myself. I reli...