Being single certainly isn't as bad as some make it out to be. Sure, it's nice to have a partner to hug on Valentine's Day, exchange gifts with during the holidays, and accompany you to work/social functions. But the reality is that singlehood affords myriad benefits as well, including: Not having to deal with a partner's drama. Being free to watch whatever you want on TV. Not having to compromise on where to eat dinner or which movie to watch at the theater. Having more time to enjoy hobbies/solitary pursuits. Not having to spend money on your partner.  Not having to confront meddling in laws.  Having more time for friends and relatives.  Even if ultimately you do long for a serious relationship, marriage, and the whole kit and caboodle, it doesn't mean you can't capitalize on your freedom.  In fact, it gives you time to scout possible love interests. When you know you're enjoying the single life, you're in no hurry to hook up. It...

If you were to look up the word narcissist in the dictionary, you'd likely find a definition along these lines: A person who has an excessive interest in or admiration of themselves. That being said, if I were to ask you to name words you associate with narcissism, you might mention the following: Pride Self-absorbed Cocky Conceited  Selfish Egocentric  Full of themselves Indeed, narcissists love being the center of attention. Getting compliments and "likes" from others further fuels their unbridled love of self. If they're not in the spotlight, it's a lousy day as far as they're concerned.  In the worst cases, narcissists are willing to stab someone in the back or throw them under the bus to get their way.  Perhaps you've witnessed this kind of behavior at work with a toxic boss or slimy coworker who takes credit for your work and never misses the opportunity to laud their "accomplishments."  Or maybe you've had...

If one thing is for sure, it's that not everyone is going to like us. Some people will find us annoying. Others will deem us rude. Still others will think we're conceited, messy, obnoxious, dumb, stingy, or lazy. And it doesn't really matter whether any of these labels have merit or are entirely baseless. All that matters is how we're perceived. Perception is, in fact, reality in the eyes of those who may not know us all that well. If not a single person has a beef with you -- if you feel everyone you know holds you in high esteem -- it boils down to one of two things: (1) They're lying. (2) You're in denial, or in the dark. Someone in our circle -- whomever it may be -- takes issue with something about us, whether it be our religious or political beliefs, our weight, our choice of partner or career, our hobbies, our favorite foods, and so forth. Granted, someone can like you and, say, still clash with you when it comes to politics. But to say th...

A word I came across recently that isn't used all that much in regular discourse is hoity-toity. It's yet another one of those funny-sounding words that I like to feature on the blog. To be hoity-toity is to be haughty or snobbish. You can use it in place of words like disdainful, conceited, proud, arrogant, pretentious, and self-important. Interestingly, while we use use hoity-toity as an adjective today, it used to be a noun that meant "thoughtless giddy behavior." The word first appeared in print as a noun in 1668. All of us know at least one person -- be it a friend, co-worker, relative, or neighbor -- who projects this type of demeanor. I generally steer clear of hoity-toity people. I think humility is one of the most admirable qualities one can possess, and, well, hoity-toity folks seem devoid of it. While we can all be a little hoity-toity in certain instances -- say, showing off our new car or watch -- some people are this way nearly all the time. ...

How great does it feel after losing 10...15...30 pounds?  No one would dispute that it feels phenomenal. However, I've observed that such feelings give way to cockiness in some people. Admittedly, that happened to me when I lost 25 pounds a couple of years ago. My face looked thinner. My tummy had all but disappeared. Some of my clothes was looking huge on me, forcing me to go a size or two smaller. Now that I was wearing more fitted clothing, I noticed more looks from women -- whether at work, restaurants, or the mall. This is what gave me the ultimate high and motivated to continue working out and losing weight. Now, I'm a happily married man and never even entertained the thought of doing anything more than smiling at these women. Still, the fact they were fancying me in this way -- a confirmation that they were digging something about my physical appearance -- made me feel really good about myself. My self-worth must have hit astronomical levels that year. I sta...