The benefits good people provide in our lives are varied and obvious. They're kind, loving, and compassionate. They teach us to be grateful for the support and generosity we receive from loved ones, especially during difficult times. Now what about bad people -- the selfish, narcissistic, dishonest, insensitive, opportunistic individuals we come across every now and then? Do they benefit us in any way? Absolutely. Like the good people, they teach us a valuable lesson: Whom not to associate with. They demonstrate the opposite qualities we should strive to develop and nurture ourselves, seek in other people, and instill in our children. They embody precisely the kind of person we should aim to avoid because, rather than enhance our lives like the good people do, they diminish them with their pride, self-absorption, and callousness. Granted, nobody's perfect. We all exhibit shades of selfishness here and there. We all fib on occasion. But some people take it to a who...

In my view, there are four essential ingredients to a happy life, all of which begin with the letter "L." The 4 L's of happiness are: (1)  Laughing (2)  Loving (3)  Living  (4)  Learning Nothing puts us in a better mood -- and helps turn a frown upside down -- quite like a good laugh. Whether we're watching a comedy movie or being amused by a pet's zany antics, life just isn't as fun without a healthy dose of laughter. But most of us would agree that funny moments aren't as memorable unless we have others around to share them with -- the people we love. While friends and family don't complete us -- we do that ourselves -- they certainly give us a good reason to wake up every morning. They're there for us (many of them, at least) in good times and bad. As human beings, we all yearn to love and be loved.  The next one is fairly straightforward: we can't be happy unless we're living -- literally and figuratively. But some wou...