Guess what newly published research has unveiled Americans are addicted to. No, it isn't junk food, Netflix, or mere smartphone use, though I'm sure a case can be made for those! Americans are addicted to tracking packages. Indeed, people have developed an acute obsession for tracking the status of their packages. So much so, that is has become an addiction. According to a new study, 60% of people who make purchases online check their delivery status daily, if not multiple times in a single day. The study even found that over 80% of online shoppers have experienced anxiety when packages fail to arrive on time. Two in three online shoppers look out their window to watch out for deliveries, and 65% of study participants feel delivery tracking has become an addiction, stating that they expect packages to be delivered within three days of ordering. In addition, 57% said package tracking is “very important” to them, while 29% refuse to purchase something online if they can’t track i...

The American essayist, poet, and philosopher Henry David Thoreau (1817-1862) once said, "You must live in the present, launch yourself on every wave, find your eternity in each moment." Put simply, Thoreau meant that life is short, and we ought to make the most of every moment. He is also been credited for saying, "Our life is frittered away by detail...simplify, simplify." (In case you haven't read up on Thoreau, he lived in a cabin at Walden Pond for over two years. His purpose? To "live deliberately.") If Thoreau were alive today, he'd be aghast at how so many people in the country -- and the world as a whole -- have fallen pray to consumerism . Rather than finding ways to simplify their lives, people seem to be doing the exact opposite, saturating them with more stuff, more people, more noise. When Thoreau exhorts us to live in the present and launch ourselves on every wave, he isn't saying we should set out on shopping spree...

If you were asked to name the biggest societal pressures we face, what would you say? Chances are at least some of these will be make your list: The pressure to get married  The pressure to have children The pressure to be thin The pressure to pursue only those careers that pay tons of money  The pressure to have a nice car, house, and other valuables There are many more pressures we face, of course, but I think the five above are the biggies, thanks in large part to Hollywood, advertising, and the media. Many people would say that the first three concern mostly women, while the latter two predominantly affect men. I'd argue, however, that people are pressured into doing all of these things irrespective of their gender.  It appears the tide is beginning to turn, though. For one, a few of my acquaintances have kids, but they've assured me that they don't want to get married. Others have confided that they're childfree by choice and want to keep ...

Unfortunately, Christmas is often associated with shopping and presents in the minds of many consumers -- and not much else. In this materialistic world we live in, far too many people have lost sight of the true meaning of Christmas. To me, Christmas is really about: The birth of Christ Spending time with loved ones Giving to the less fortunate Being thankful for what I have Being nice, noble and helpful Thinking about others before myself We should be mindful of these things year-round, but at the very least we should prioritize them this time of year.  Gifts come and go. They depreciate and are eventually discarded or replaced. Such is not the case with our friends and family, who most of us would deem irreplaceable.  Christmas is more about giving than receiving. It's about spreading a little cheer to those who sorely need it -- the poor, the sick, the injured, the elderly.  Christmas is about love. It's about neighborliness. It's about being...

It's a sobering reality that many people have come to associate Thanksgiving with shopping and Black Friday rather than regarding it as a day to halt the acquisition of more material possessions and give thanks for what they already have. The media, retailers, and consumers themselves are all to blame. I've lost count of the many news reports I've seen in which people begin to form lines outside of stores at the beginning of the week in anticipation of Black Friday. It's unfortunate that Black Friday has to be the day that immediately follows Thanksgiving. Why couldn't it have been, say, the Saturday after the holiday, or even the following weekend? It's utterly shameful that consumerism often overshadows the true meaning of Thanksgiving. Many people are more caught up with getting the best deals on computers and TVs than looking forward to spending time with friends and family. Let's not forget this: Unlike those whom we love, material goods can be ...

I am pleased to share with you the first of many Quotes of the Day. This is just one of several new features I will be integrating into the blog in the new year. Without further ado, the first Quote of the Day comes from Benjamin Franklin (1706-1790), who, aside from being one of the Founding Fathers of the United States, was a respected writer, printer, inventor, scientist, statesman, and diplomat. "If you desire many things, many things will seem few." - Benjamin Franklin I love the meaning behind this well-known quote by the revered Franklin. I take it to mean that the more you yearn for material things, the less you'll be satisfied by them. You'll want something, grow bored of it, and angle for the next thing that grabs your interest. Rinse and repeat -- it's a vicious cycle that never ends. Unfortunately, we know far too many people that become locked in the tight grip of consumerism. Many factors are to blame, including advertisements and promotions ...