Is your neighbor jealous of that new car you worked so hard to buy? Let them. Is your perpetually single coworker envious of your 20-year marriage? Let them. Does your friend begrudge you the passion you have toward your hobbies and life itself? So be it. Let's face it: Not only is it impossible to please everyone, but there will always be someone who will try to put us down for the simple fact that they lack something we have. Don't pay any attention to them. Rather than satisfying your urge to confront or lash out on this individual, you could try to share your positive vibes. See if your zest for life rubs off on them. That way, they are more likely to focus on what they already have rather than yearn for what they're missing. Or, they can set and work toward goals rather than harp on what others possess, which is really none of their business. Now, if you go around boasting of your possessions in person or on Facebook, you may very well be engendering such...

It does, but only to a certain degree. Surely, one must put themselves out there in order to be noticed. A partner won't magically fall in your lap, and being holed up in your room all day greatly diminishes your prospects. But you don't want to overdo it either. A girl I used to work with treated virtually every guy she met in the workplace as a possible love interest. Vetting every man or woman you come across does come off as desperate. That's why, in the world of dating, it's better to work smarter, not harder. Go to places where people with whom you share a certain hobby are likely to be. If you want to date a bookworm, head to the library. If dancing is your thing, you might want to sign up for salsa lessons. If a partner with a great physique is atop your list, you ought to be spending time at the gym. You get the idea. You want to frequent places where you're bound to find people whose interests mirror or at least complement yours. In other words...

There's a well-known adage that variety is the spice of life. This is far from a tired cliché; it's the truth. The only way to ensure that our lives don't get stuck in a repetitive rut is to keep them fresh and exciting. We do this by infusing them with new experiences. That can be anything from traveling the world to taking a different route to and from work each day. We are creatures of habit who tend to get stuck in our comfort zone, conditioning us to live each day in "rinse and repeat" fashion. While a little routine is to be expected, we shouldn't feel as if each day is a rehash of the prior one. If, at the end of the week, you can't remember a single thing that distinguished one day of that week from the other -- if the entire week seems like a big blur -- that's a telltale sign you may need to spruce things up a bit. And no one says injecting some spontaneity into your life has to be expensive. The key is to do a few little things ...

I know several people who have 9 to 5 jobs but still do things on the side that they get paid for. For example, my friend Vicky bakes cakes for a few extra bucks, and my friend John supplements his income by fixing computers. What I wonder is if they enjoy doing these things so much that they'd do them for free. In my case, my true passion is writing. I manage this blog on the side to augment my salary as a full-time copywriter. I don't earn much from the ads, but it's something. I love writing so much that I would do it for free if I had to. In fact, I have written content for several websites in the past and not gotten a single cent for it. People who are willing to do something for free probably consider it a hobby or passion of theirs. If they can get paid for it, then that's icing on the cake. I'm fortunate in that my favorite pastime, writing, also happens to be my trade. I can understand why people might be unwilling to do the work for free, thoug...

It's an interesting question. Do you like what you do enough that you would still do it even if you weren't being paid for the work? I'd venture to say that people in creative professions like writing (yours truly), graphic design, music, acting, and so on would say yes, as would those who work in charitable organizations devoted to a cause about which they're passionate. On the other hand, people who view their jobs as a mere paycheck are probably less apt to think this way. They're the ones already eying the clock at 4:50 and bolting out the door at 4:59. I'm one of the lucky few whose favorite hobbies (reading, writing, editing, proofing) coincide with his job responsibilities. I'm a copywriter/editor by day and a freelance writer at night. My true passion, though, is this blog, as it allows me to express myself myself freely -- with no politics or overbearing boss to get in my way. It isn't so much the work, company, or industry itself that...

We'd all admit that we're all pretty good at doing a couple of things, but there tends to be ONE specific thing we're great at -- and I wanted everyone to share what that thing is. If you're torn between two choices, pick the one you think others would say you're better at. Don't be bashful -- you can be as cocky about it as you'd like! As for me, I've always had an affinity for words. That includes the following: Knowing the definitions to words people have never heard of or seldom use Being proficient at spelling words, even those long, complicated ones Typing -- I type roughly 150 words per minute Writing in various styles -- whether it's succinctly or elaborately  Outstanding editing skills Excellent proofreading abilities I'm a very fast reader -- I devour books like there's no tomorrow I have a nearly photographic memory It's no wonder that writing is my profession. I'm one of the few people out there who can ac...