Some people become heavily invested in their relationships -- almost to a fault. In fact, they seem to forget there's actually a world outside of them. They lose sight of the fact that the other person in the relationship -- whether it's their friend, parent, or significant other -- is not attached to them at the hip; the person is still a separate individual with his or her own goals, dreams, fears, hobbies, and personality. No one likes feeling as though they're being surveilled or suffocated. Unfortunately, though, many of us contend with a partner who lets his or her insecurities come out through these two particular behaviors: 1. They're controlling. A possessive partner wants to dictate everything from what you eat and how you dress to who you can talk to and when you should come home. They treat you more like a child than as an adult, not allowing you to make your own decisions. Unfortunately, people can be this way for a variety of reasons. They may fe...

There are certainly many perks to using our smart phones. How convenient is it to be able to check the weather, our email, or our home (remotely via our home security app) through these small yet highly sophisticated devices while on the go? However, cell phone use has infiltrated our lives in a way most of the phone manufacturers probably never imagined. We take the phones with us to the bathroom, use them while eating dinner and conversing with people and -- worst of all -- while driving. Cell phones have made our lives easier in myriad ways while making society far more impersonal. These days, wishing people a Happy Birthday via Facebook has supplanted the more traditional methods of calling by phone or sending someone a card in the mail. But when phones become so intrusive as to disrupt family time, that's when you know we've taken our usage of them to a whole new level. My wife often uses her while we're watching movies in the living room, resulting in my admon...

For as long as I can remember, I've enjoyed staying up late at night -- even it's been a school or work night. I'm what you would call a night person. Others might describe me as a night owl. To me, there's no time like the middle of the night. It's quiet, relaxing -- the perfect setting for reading a good book, writing a poem, getting lost in contemplation, or taking a leisurely stroll beneath a striking starry sky. As I've gotten older, staying up late on work nights has become something of a challenge. Sometimes I get home so tired that I don't make it past 11. And getting adequate sleep really makes a difference in one 's day. I don't function well without  at least 6 hours of shut-eye. That's why I make every effort to at least stay up on weekends. A real sense of peace and tranquility eludes me in the daytime, when it's common to hear dogs barking, construction crews hard at work, and other intrusive disturbances. It's also ...

Whether it's your mother-in-law, coworker, or neighbor, we each know someone who can't help but be a little nosy. The phrase "mind your own business" seems to have been invented specifically for these folks. They like drama, dirt, the juicy stuff. Though all of us can be nosy at times, some people take his to a whole new level. My biggest pet peeve is when people ask me questions of a personal nature but then fail to disclose anything personal about themselves. If you feel someone is being a bit too intrusive, tell him straight out that it's making you feel uncomfortable. If you'd rather not answer questions being thrown your way, feel free to dodge them and change the subject. People will get the point. I sometimes feel as though some people don't have anything exciting going on in their lives, and so they proceed to probe into other people's business. It's best you stand firm and put a stop to it early on -- or else they'll think you...