I've stressed in several blog posts that a relationship devoid of trust and communication is destined to fail. Can you guess what a relationship should NOT have if it is to have any chance at success? The answer is selfishness. You know you're ready for a relationship when you're willing to put someone else's needs and cares before yours. This doesn't mean you have to do away with everything you care about. (If your partner imposes this on you, you're with the wrong person.) Instead, you should be willing to share your time and energies with your partner, taking into account what they want to do, what they want to eat, where they want to go. The TV isn't just yours anymore, and neither is your money. When it comes to relationships, sharing is caring. There is no place for selfishness in a relationship. You shouldn't get to watch baseball every night like you did when you were single, and she shouldn't hog it for herself to see maratho...

We're only a few days shy of Christmas and people have been asking me whether regifting is acceptable. That depends. If it's something you don't want but know someone else would value, it's fair game. For example, you might not want a box of chocolates because you're on a diet, but it would make a nice gift for your chocoholic aunt. Or, if you don't drink (like me), that nice bottle of wine you received at work might suit your booze-loving neighbor. However, I advise against regifting when it concerns your close friends, partner, kids, or extended family. After all, these are the people you treasure most in your life. They deserve more of an investment of your time and money, don't they? Instead, it's more appropriate to give them to acquaintances or people you may otherwise not know all that well. For instance, maybe your friend's decor-minded sister could put the candle you received in a gift exchange to better use than you can. Obvio...