Some of the people in your inner circle -- whether friends, coworkers, or acquaintances -- may attempt to convince you that they know what's best for you, even if you beg to differ.  In essence, they're saying that they know you better than you know yourself! This is, of course, utterly preposterous.  No one but you knows all your fears, misgivings, hopes, and dreams. No one other than you has been at your side 24 hours a day, seven days a week, every single day of your life.  While your parents, siblings, or friends are likely to have taught you a few valuable lessons as you've gotten older, there are others you've learned through personal experience.  That being said, how can a person claim to have a better handle on you than, well, you? Be wary of these people, I tell you, for they aim to foist their own beliefs and opinions on you as if they were the law.  Whatever you do, do not cave. People do this for one simple reason:...

As I've gotten older, I've become only more convinced of one thing: Life is never going to be exactly as you want it to be. You may have an idea as to how you want your career, relationships, and friendships to be. You can try your best to will things toward certain outcomes -- whether by manipulation or sheer persistence --but they will never be ideal. The main reason why is because people themselves are too volatile. Experiences and life circumstances shape us into who we are, a process constantly in flux. I wish that I were a lot closer to many of my friends and relatives, but life has pulled us in different directions. Responsibilities like work and children, and even factors like distance, can change the whole complexion of a relationship. And as much as I wish I could choose who I work with and the tasks I am responsible for, this just isn't feasible. There are aspects of my job that I like and others that make it hard to get out of bed in the morning. So wh...

A study conducted in the late 1990s revealed that a whopping 75% of respondents believed in soulmates. Of those, nearly the same proportion (3/4) were women. So, the big question is: Is there only one person in the whole world that can complete us? As much as I would love to buy into this notion, I just don't believe it to be true. People loosely throw around the word "soulmate" as a means of validating their choice of partner. We can have only so many partners in our lives-- that's why sooner or later we convince ourselves that our partner is "the one" after all. But to say that only one person in the whole world can be totally compatible with you on a mental, physical, emotional, and spiritual level just doesn't hold water in my book. I respect those who believe in fate, but I believe that what happens to us in life is a combination of fate and free will. You may be destined to meet, date, and marry John Doe, but if you're a social hermit...