Have you ever trusted someone to be there when you need them, only to see them bolt when things really start to fall apart? Maybe you needed advice during your tumultous divorce, a place to stay after the passing of your spouse, or a few bucks after being laid off that you promised to pay back. Yep, we've all been there. It's plain to see why this can be so hurtful. Not only did they leave you in the lurch, but they clearly demonstrated their actions didn't mirror their words. Essentially, they lied, and maybe you can't imagine ever trusting them again -- and rightly so. But we can't give these people the satisfaction of seeing us all bent out of shape, as it will convey that they have us emotionally wrapped around their finger. We ought to remind ourselves that for every person who betrays us, there's one out there who will stand behind us no matter what life throws our way -- whether it be a close friend, reliable neighbor, or caring cousin. Th...

In an ideal world, we'd all be paid handsomely to work in a company we love doing work about which we're fervently passionate, all while being surrounded by wonderful people. If this sounds like your situation, congratulations -- you're the envy of many a disgruntled working bee in Corporate America. Most of us, however, take issue with some aspect about our jobs. Though many of these aren't easy to pinpoint until you've been on the job for at least a month or two, think twice about remaining in or going to a company where: 1. There's no room to grow. Are you the ambitious type? If all that stands in the way of getting that coveted VP spot is, well, ten other people, you're better off looking elsewhere. Even if you're just waiting for your boss to retire, you may be left waiting for a while. 2. You have no voice. If your boss and other higher-ups discourage creative freedom, you might grow to resent the job very quickly. Companies that are so r...

Ah, the notorious dead-end job. You know, the kind that offers little to no potential for advancement. The type where you've mastered all your tasks, are learning nothing new, and feel as though you're stagnating. Unfortunately, many of us find ourselves in this boat. I, for one, have been on the lookout for better opportunities for some time now, but have yet to reel in something good enough to leave my current dead-end position for, which at least pays well and provides great benefits. It can be a challenge for even some of the most experienced job hunters to pinpoint a dead-end job. Here are some telltale signs that it may be time to start polishing up that resume: 1. There's high turnover. 2. Several people have been in the same positions for years and years. 3. Your job doesn't make good use of your skills. 4. You feel as though opportunities to expand your skill set and grow professionally are few and far between. 5. There's promotion in sight. E...

I think it's safe to say we've all shopped or browsed on Amazon.com at some point. It is, after all, the largest Internet-based retailer in the world in terms of total sales and market capitalization, not to mention the fourth most valuable public company as of 2016. Amazon has separate websites for the U.S., Canada, United Kingdom/Ireland, France, Spain, Italy, Germany, Netherlands, Australia, China, Brazil, Japan, India, and Mexico. To say that it has a global footprint is an understatement. With product lines ranging from apparel and books to jewelry and groceries, there's almost nothing a consumer can't find on the site, which was founded in 1994. According to a recent report, 55% of Americans begin their online shopping experience at Amazon.com. That's a 25% increase over 2015. If you're Amazon, you have to be pleased with those gaudy stats. It means that the retailer has achieved top of mind awareness in more than half of the population. And th...

Nothing agitates me like getting unsolicited calls from telemarketers. What boggles my mind is how these intrusive companies get a hold of my phone number. If you find yourself in a similar boat, there are various websites online on which you can report the offending company or phone number. When I don't recognize the number, I proceed to type it on Google and run a search. Usually, there will already be complaints issued about said phone number on sites like 800notes.com. Some people even report the numbers to the Federal Trade Commission. I never answer the phone unless I recognize the number. If they leave a message, I vet it in order to determine whether the source is legitimate. Oftentimes, it's a call from, say, AT&T or my bank. In other cases, however, it's a scam that far too many consumers fall prey to. I advise all my friends and readers to do the same. Some of these schemes can be egregious; the shady companies pull out all the stops to get people...

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...

If you found yourself chasing after friends or love interests last year who didn't put as much time and effort into your relationship as you, don't let this habit carry over into the new year. End it now! There's no reason why you should pine for someone's attention or company when your own should be sufficient. Sure, we all like to be in a relationship and have at least a couple of friends we can call and meet up when we're bored or lonely. But here's a key piece of information I'd like you to embed firmly in your mind: Friends and partners enhance our lives, not complete them.  You should never feel that your life is incomplete without friends, a partner, children, and so on. After all, we came into this world alone, and will be leaving it in similar fashion. Studies find that the more people enjoy their own company, the happier they are with their lives and the higher their self-esteem and self-worth. I'm not suggesting that you shouldn...

Whether you work in nursing, finance, or teaching, expecting your job to bring you fulfillment isn't always the best way to go about it. Read on to learn why you should instead strive to start a business of your own or cultivate hobbies outside of work. Expecting your job to fill a void in your life is a surefire prescription for trouble. Why?  From tyrannical bosses and untrustworthy co-workers to red tape that utterly stifles creativity, there’s simply too much going on at our jobs that is beyond our control . And when there’s too much beyond your control, it’s hard to fulfill your goals and make as big an impact as you desire. This is precisely what prompts many of us to hop from one job to another in search of conditions that are better aligned with our goals. Still, the grass isn’t always greener on the other side. I currently work as a writer in the travel industry. (That’s my day job;  I also write articles for websites and maintain this blog.) You would think I’d h...

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...

We've  all heard the maxim "misery loves company," but what's the reasoning behind it?  Why is being miserable not as bad when we know someone else is in the same boat? For starters, no one wants to stand out for the wrong reasons. In a room full of happy people, being the only one in the dumps can be utterly unpleasant. The fact that someone else shares your misery makes it seem, well, not so horrible after all. For example, let's say you and two of your colleagues are slated to present your department's new product launch to corporate this morning. You've been driving for 10 minutes when all of the sudden, traffic begins slowing to crawl. You then discover there's been a major accident, and it could be at least another hour before you get to the office. Unfortunately, the meeting starts in 20 minutes, so it's likely you'll miss a good chunk of the meeting. Now, suppose that Jesse, one of the two guys scheduled to make the presentation w...