Being the social creatures that we are, we all want people to like us. We all want to be in people's good graces. After all, it opens the door to new job or relationship possibilities, so why not?  The danger comes when you aim to impress someone to feel better about yourself -- when being "you" just isn't good enough. This creates the potential for losing your identity entirely in the process. Rather than living your most authentic life so that those who value you for who you are come along for the ride, you're bending over backwards to fit into the mold of how others want to perceive you. See the difference? For example, I know a great many people who aren't materialistic by nature, but they tote around expensive handbags and drive luxurious cars just so that they gain gain others' approval. Somewhere along the way, they bought into the misguided notion that projecting wealth will earn the respect of others, as if their positive feelings for fancy brand...

People talk about winning the lottery as if it were the Holy Grail everyone is after. And, sure, having a lot of money can enhance your life in myriad ways. You can pay off your house and buy a much bigger one, purchase a luxurious car, do away with your college loan debt, buy expensive clothes and jewelry with no restraint, etc. Society tells us this is the ideal life. But is it really the kind of life we ALL yearn for? Not me. Instead, I just want to be comfortable financially, and that's well within everyone's reach by (1) saving up (2) scouring the internet and newspapers for great deals (3) staying within or below one's budget. I can only surmise that people who are rich feel immense pressure to display with their wealth. (Not to mention they likely get asked for money left and right by friends and relatives.) The issue is that I'm the farthest thing from a materialistic person, so if I found myself thrust into that situation, I would not feel compelled...

Trends. Fads. People wanting to do what everyone else is doing because it's the "it" thing. Whether it's dressing a certain way, decorating one's home in a popular style, or buying a particular product everyone and his brother seems to own, trends can spread like wildfire quickly. But I see trends as overrated. I equate them with the so-called herd mentality, where people are driven to shadow their peers in their choices -- just so they can fit in. I'm not like most people, which is why I don't subscribe to the herd mentality. I'm big on uniqueness and doing whatever you -- not the rest of society -- think is cool, however socially unacceptable it may be. Most people probably don't place me on their "coolest people I know" list. Why? Because I'm not materialistic, I don't drink, and I'm a huge psychology and history geek. Probably not most people's idea of fun. Regardless, I take pride in bucking trends r...

Would you care as much about what people think of you if I told you that people, in the grand scheme of things, don't think of you as much as you think they do? That goes for all of us. In general, human beings are very self-conscious. We assume people are looking at or talking about us when they're really not. We presume they're thinking about what we're eating or wearing when that may not be the case. Let's face it: people have more than enough to occupy their mind. From our jobs to kids to bills, we have more important fish to fry than other's dressing and eating habits. Mind you, there are people -- we see them in the workplace all the time -- who do expatiate on such topics, but it's the exception rather than the rule. There's nothing wrong with caring about how you come across to others, but some people take it to an extreme. They spend beyond their means to buy the most expensive clothes, jewelry, and cars in hopes of impressing othe...

If you were to come up with one word to describe your ideal life, what would it be? If several come to mind, try to winnow them down to the one word that best captures what you would consider the perfect life. Words like "rich" and "wealthy" didn't even cross my mind, for I am the farthest thing from materialistic. I think the best things in life tend to be free -- love, knowledge, laughter, companionship. For me, no word encapsulates the ideal life quite like simple . A self-proclaimed minimalist, I try to reduce as much clutter in my life -- both mental and physical -- as I possibly can. I respect those who find great fulfillment in owning the biggest houses, roomiest cars, and shiniest baubles. But that's just not me. I am much easier to please, finding satisfaction in the simplest things -- like reading a great book, taking a relaxing walk around the park, or watching an interesting documentary on TV. You're probably wondering whether ...

Unfortunately, Christmas is often associated with shopping and presents in the minds of many consumers -- and not much else. In this materialistic world we live in, far too many people have lost sight of the true meaning of Christmas. To me, Christmas is really about: The birth of Christ Spending time with loved ones Giving to the less fortunate Being thankful for what I have Being nice, noble and helpful Thinking about others before myself We should be mindful of these things year-round, but at the very least we should prioritize them this time of year.  Gifts come and go. They depreciate and are eventually discarded or replaced. Such is not the case with our friends and family, who most of us would deem irreplaceable.  Christmas is more about giving than receiving. It's about spreading a little cheer to those who sorely need it -- the poor, the sick, the injured, the elderly.  Christmas is about love. It's about neighborliness. It's about being...

All of us yearn to win the lottery someday so that we can gleefully hand our bosses a resignation letter and live in the lap of luxury. Or do we? We claim to want to be millionaires, but how can we be sure we would really enjoy that kind of lifestyle? For people like me who aren't heavy spenders and don't necessarily gravitate toward luxury brands, being rich may not be our ultimate goal in life. We may not be all that interested in acquiring more money than we know what to do with. And some of us might feel pressured to live like millionaires -- say, driving around in a Maserati and living in a resplendent mansion -- simply because we have the means to do so. I have never aspired to become a millionaire. I've only wished to have enough saved up to afford me a comfortable life. What's more, I am not -- nor have I ever been -- materialistic. While other people may look forward to their next vacation or contemplate which fancy restaurant they are going to hit up nex...

Some of my friends and relatives seem driven to do nothing more than amass as much money as they possibly can. While having enough money to live a comfortable life is certainly important, I've never really sought to become a millionaire -- nor do I think I would want to be one. I'm the furthest thing from flashy and materialistic. I'm a minimalist by nature, so I try my best to avoid accumulating junk -- hence the reason why I'm thinking about buying a condominium rather than the huge house with white picket fence so many envision as encapsulating the American Dream. If I were to strike it rich, I'd think first about providing for my family, then helping the less fortunate. I've seen people who come from humble beginnings become wealthier and change dramatically, almost overnight. I think people who have a lot of money feel the impulse to show it, and Hollywood is partly to blame. You usually won't find the well-to-do settling for Toyota Corollas and S...

How to Understand People delves into human behavior and explores why people act in sometimes-unusual ways. One of those oddities is the fact that no matter what we obtain and how much of it, we always seem to be striving for something more. The novelty of consumer goods like watches and television sets wears off rather quickly, and it isn't long before we're in search of the next best thing. Women with straight hair long for curly hair, and vice versa. People in cities where it gets very cold in the winter time wish they lived in sun-drenched, humid Miami. Time-starved parents wish they had the luxury of being able to relax at will. In other words, we always seem to want what we can't have. Sometimes people spend so much time yearning for what they can't get that they fail to appreciate what's in front of them, hence the phrase "you don't know what you've got until it's gone." We may get like this when, for example, a friend buys a nice...