Relationships go down the road to ruin without a willingness on the part of both partners -- not just one -- to do the following six things: Invest time in the relationship Invest energy in the relationship  Communicate their concerns and address any areas where they feel there is room for improvement  Remain transparent  Love and trust one another  Be understanding rather than judgmental  A relationship is like a car in that it requires routine maintenance. What would happen if you were to stop changing the oil and rotating the tires? It would cease to work properly, right?  The same logic applies to a relationship.  And here's the thing: When a car starts giving you problems, you don't immediately go out and get a new one. Similarly, you shouldn't pull the plug on a relationship without making the effort to resolve whatever problems the two of you are facing. Ending a relationship prematurely would mean giving up on somethin...

Although the list of gender stereotypes that exist in the world today goes on forever, there are two in particular that seem firmly ingrained in many people's minds: 1. All women should be good cooks. 2. All men should be handy.  Here's a reality check for those who still subscribe to these decades-old stereotypes: Many women don't know how to cook, nor have they ever been interested in preparing anything other than a TV dinner. At the same time, many men -- including me -- are neither interested in nor adept at home repairs and do-it-yourself projects. And there's nothing wrong with that. Some of us have a keen sense as to the things we like to do, and those we detest. As I've stated in earlier posts, I bought a condo instead of a house for one simple reason: I loathe maintenance. I'm not good at it and, quite frankly, would rather shell out the money for someone else to do the job. I love reserving my time outside of work for things about which I...

It's finite. It's in short supply. And there's nothing we should be working harder to make the most of than this. Any idea what I'm talking about? It's time. Now, does making the most of your time necessarily mean that you ought to be taking as many vacations as you can possibly squeeze into a year? Does making the most of your time mean you should be having as many children as you can? Does making the most of your time mean you should aim to buy the best car and biggest house you can afford? If anything, such pursuits seem like they'd be an even bigger drain on your time. The question becomes: Do you think investing a lot of your time -- the scarcest commodity you have -- on these things is worth it? When it comes to travel, we spend a significant amount of time at airports, on flights, and in cabs. What's more, you have to factor all the time spent planning the vacation, including researching key sites and attractions, booking flights and tou...

I consider myself unique in several ways, among them the fact that I am an avowed minimalist who strives for simplicity. Now, don't get me wrong. I am not meaning to imply that I live like the Amish do, sans TV, cell phones, and other forms of technology. (In fact, I spend most of my day checking emails and writing posts on this blog!) What I'm getting at is that I aim to reduce clutter and avoid anything that forces me to put a great deal of time and effort into something I dislike doing. Take my recent decision to buy a condo. Condos require a lot less maintenance than houses. They're shorter on space, which cuts down on the amount of stuff you need to store and fix. You also have less real estate to keep tidy. In 2013, I opted to buy a Nissan Versa. The car is small, economical, and offers ample trunk space. Could I have purchased something bigger with more bells and whistles? Absolutely. Did I want to? Nope. It doesn't take much -- and that includes money ...