What do you hunger for so much that no matter how hard you try, your appetite never seems sated? Is it food like chocolate or French fries? Hugs and kisses? Approval from others? For me, this is an easy one: knowledge. I love learning about all things history and psychology. A day that passes without learning something -- a new word, a new phrase, about groundbreaking research in consumer psychology, and so on -- feels like a day wasted. Nothing in this world can extinguish my intellectual curiosity. While everyone has their reasons for lamenting the fact that life is short, mine include the harsh reality that we can only learn so much during our limited time on this planet. To me, few things are as enriching as becoming more knowledgeable, more intelligent, more erudite. Whether it's learning how to use a formula to solve a mathematical problem or being able to expound on significant historical events, it feels great to "get" something -- and it's...

It's only January 4, but you'd be surprised how quickly some people break their New Year's resolution(s). I've resolved to accomplish two things from the get-go: (1) Lose weight, and (2) Read every single day. So far, I've done just that, losing a pound within the last two days while reading at least five pages daily. After the novelty of the New Year has worn off, it can be all too tempting to crawl back into our comfort zone. But we must resist the urge to revert to our old ways, whether it be snacking at all hours of the day or always putting exercise on the back burner. The New Year provides the opportunity to start anew -- physically, mentally and emotionally -- and that means pressing the "reset" button rather than the "rewind" button. A person can begin working toward their goals any day of the year -- whether January 1, April 20, or September 30. But somehow, the start of the year gives one the feeling of starting with a clean...

I grabbed this from a picture someone posted on Facebook. It shows things we should/shouldn't do and consume more/less of if we are to live a truly healthy lifestyle. After reading the text, all I could say is "so true," and I'm sure you'd concur. It certainly makes for a nice list of potential New Year's resolutions for many of us: Less soda, more water Less alcohol, more tea Less sugar, more fruits Less meat, more vegetables  Less sitting/driving, more walking/exercising  Less worry, more sleep Less anger, more laughter Fewer words, more action Everything that follows "more" is known to contribute to a healthier life. For example, sleep is certainly essential to one's well-being. Without sufficient rest, one can't think clearly, adversely affecting their work, social interactions, and even their self-confidence. What's more, people who laugh and exercise more typically live longer lives, as many studies point out.  ...

Does it surprise you that many men say their top New Year's resolution is to sleep with as many women as they possibly can? Not only have I heard a few guys say this firsthand, but I've seen many cite this as their primary aim in 2016 in message boards featuring topics on New Year's goals. All I can say is...wow. Of all the things these guys can do to improve themselves in the New Year -- from losing weight and finding a better job to spending more time with loved ones -- they're only thinking about adding to their sex partner tally. Maybe it's time they aspired to something greater, like actually finding someone to settle down with. Sleeping with as many partners as you can hardly seems like a New Year's goal; rather, it's something you can really set out to do, well, whenever. I see the New Year as the opportunity to start with a clean slate. Upping your sex partner count merely seems like an effort to perpetuate an old habit -- one that should h...

Ah, there's nothing like the start of a new year, right? It's an opportunity to start anew. A clean slate. A chance to strive for greatness yet again. Research suggests that, generally speaking, people don't come around to meeting -- and, in some cases, even working toward -- their New Year's resolutions. Why is it that we place such a great emphasis on pressing the reset button on January 1 and becoming a better version of ourselves when, in most cases, we fall short? I surmise that we do it for the following reason: Life is nothing short of unpredictable, and we truly don't know what may lie ahead in the coming year. Thus, making New Year's resolutions give us the sense that we're at least partly in control of our lives. We first look at our shortcomings and the toughest challenges we faced in the outgoing year and convince ourselves that, with a little time and effort, we can triumph over even the longest odds. For example, let's say you l...