Is a relationship doomed when one person is a bit more invested than the other? Not necessarily.  In fact, it's quite typical for one partner to care a little more than their significant other -- and the roles can switch over the course of the relationship. This can happen because of a myriad of factors, including: One person having a more stressful job Illness One partner being more organized and on top of things (e.g., relationship milestones, finances, etc.) In essence, it doesn't mean that the person who's a little less committed doesn't value the relationship. But everything from a person's disposition/personality to life simply getting in the way has to be factored in. And sometimes it may seem like they don't care as much because that's how the partner perceives it, but it's not the case at all. For example, some people are naturally more mushy than others. Just because they're not always keen on displaying affec...

The principal reason why we expect too much from others is because we are often willing to do the same -- if not more -- for them, but they just don't share our disposition. As often happens in relationships, one person is far more invested than the other. For example, one person in particular is always proposing outings, sending texts, liking Facebook posts, and offering to lend a hand whenever it's needed. The other isn't as actively engaged, sometimes vanishing for weeks (if not months) on end. Once the other person grows accustomed to this, he or she might simply check out, believing that everything is well under control. They just expect to be catered to. You can never assume that the other person -- whether it's your friend or partner -- will bring to the relationship the same level of energy and willingness to please that you do. They may claim to be busy with work, family, or other priorities. (As I stressed in a recent post, however, people will find th...

If you don't love yourself, you can't really love anyone else. Happiness starts from within. Love starts from within. Other people don't complete us -- we do that ourselves. Others merely enhance our lives. I know a few people who spend all their time pleasing others and are left feeling empty and burned down at the end of the day. Why? Because they fail to carve out some time for themselves -- to relax, to contemplate, to pamper themselves. When you feel good about and love yourself, you're more confident. You're in a better mood. You have the disposition and frame of mind to then focus on others and their needs. People may argue that seeing others is all it takes to make them happy, but if they don't love themselves sufficiently to begin with, that happiness just isn't sustainable. People won't always be around; sometimes you'll be by yourself. Take a few moments each day to contemplate your best qualities. Think about something gre...

As I've pointed out in other posts, being alone and being lonely are two completely different things. When people wish to be alone, they usually do so deliberately, whereas being lonely tends to be an undesirable consequence of a particular event, like breaking up with your boyfriend, moving to a new city, etc. People can desire to be alone for a host of reasons: To clear their heads To gather their thoughts To recharge after a long day at work To read or pursue other solitary tasks in a quiet environment They're not in the mood to be around people, especially after someone has done something to disappoint them And many more... Unfortunately, sometimes society makes people who crave alone time out to be weirdos. They're constantly given labels like "antisocial" and "stuck-up." Oftentimes, these descriptors have no basis in reality. Many people -- especially the highly extroverted, who thrive on social interaction -- fail to understand tha...

Society generally frowns upon those who keep to themselves. But just because someone is quiet doesn't mean he's stuck-up, indifferent, or harboring devious plans of some sort. On the contrary, quiet people are usually quite convivial once you get to know them. All it takes is breaking the ice and making the person feel comfortable enough to open up. I was a very quiet kid through my high school years, but finally came out of my shell when I started college. To this day, I can clam up while in the presence of a lot of people, especially those with whom I have nothing in common. People have to become more tolerant of others' personalities and resist the urge to categorize them in the absence of more information. For instance, people attempt to fill in the gaps by assuming that the quiet person must think she is superior to everyone else. In actuality, she may just be an introvert who thinks very carefully before speaking. Some people are more introspective than others and...