A few days ago, I came across a picture on Facebook that had the following caption: "We buy stuff we don't need -- with money we don't have -- to impress people we don't like." Perhaps you can name a few people in your life -- whether at work or at the gym -- who do precisely that. Maybe that person has been you from time to time. The sad reality is that people often become so hung up on the things they perceive as missing in their lives that they lose sight of everything they already have. In many cases, this results from direct comparisons to people in their circle, thus igniting the urge to "Keep up with the Joneses." As I've said before, there's nothing wrong with indulging yourself every so often. Eat at that fancy restaurant you've been wanting to try. Buy yourself that expensive pair of shoes you say online. You work hard for your money; if you have the means, why not? I take issue, however, with people who have to have the...

Most of us have a tendency to think about the things we don't have rather than the things we do. We often envy those who have something we lack rather than pity those who are far less fortunate than we are. I am guilty of this myself at times. For example, I live near a stretch of school zones that takes a good 30 minutes to get through during rush hour on a bad day. Sometimes my drive to work (and back home) takes an hour -- mind you, I'm driving a distance of a little over 8 miles. That's how ugly the traffic gets here. On these bad days-- it happened this morning, actually-- I feel the temptation to begrudge those who have a quick, easy commute. But then I stop and remind myself that there are many people in the world who would take that long commute in a heartbeat if it meant they could have a car to drive in -- or a home to drive to. Far too many people envy friends, relatives and neighbors with bigger houses, flashier jewelry, or more luxurious cars. What esca...