Many of us find ourselves scratching our heads when our loyalty to certain people isn't reciprocated. Maybe it's a friend who turned their back when you needed them most. Perhaps it was an ex who you discovered had been cheating on you for months. Or maybe it was a coworker who swooped in and landed the position they said they would help you get. The reasons why people aren't loyal to us are varied, but here are the theee most common ones: 1. They're selfish. Some people enter relationships expecting loyalty from the other person, but think they're somehow exempt from doing the same for them. Reality check: Relationships are a two-way street. Those who persist in their selfish ways and are unwilling to take another's wishes and feelings into account are ill-prepared for the sacrifices that a relationship involves. 2. They take us for granted. A person takes for granted the things and people they don't value. And it's impossible to be loyal to...

No matter what we aspire to accomplish in life, we must never allow our fear of failure to override our goals -- however lofty they may seem. Let us not let our comfort zones confine us. Let us not allow self-doubt to undermine our will to succeed! We can do anything we set our hearts and minds to. Sure, we may not succeed the first, second, or even the fifth time. And success may entail making major sacrifices that take a heavy physical and emotional toll on us. But if we want it badly enough, we shall prevail. No matter how many times life tries to throw a monkey wrench in the works, we find a way around such hurdles. We see setbacks not as a sign that it may be time to call it quits, but as an opportunity to reaffirm our commitment to the cause. And we mustn't allow the naysayers in our midst -- even when the detractor is ourselves -- dissuade us from forging ahead. Whenever you find yourself doubting how far you can go, remind yourself of how far you've come...

This crazy rollercoaster ride we call life is unequivocally, as Ralph Waldo Emerson put it, a journey, not a destination. Indeed, it's not so much about where we end up as it is how we got there. How many times have you gone on road trips, only to reflect more fondly on the time spent making your way there -- cracking jokes with friends, singing songs with the family, exploring the outdoors -- than the destination in question? We have a tendency to focus so hard on the end goal that we seldom stop to appreciate the incremental steps that get us there. For example, we or someone we know likely wishes to lose weight. It can be easy to become fixed on losing, say, 50 pounds as soon as possible. But as sweet as achieving that goal will be, chances are we will come to miss the feeling of working toward their target. The elation that comes from losing five pounds and looking forward to doubling that number. The same goes for college students who assert that graduation can...

I think we'd all agree that we're not -- and will never be -- completely satisfied with our lives. There's always going to be something we want to own or accomplish. Some of us yearn for love and companionship. Others want a better job that will enable them to save up for a nicer car or house. Still other people want to lose weight, start their own business, have another child, or achieve other milestones. With the New Year fast approaching, such goals loom large on many people's minds. And that's not a bad thing. It demonstrates that a person aims to continually better themselves. On the other hand, when you become complacent, you tend to stop challenging yourself to find ways to enhance your life. Your idea of enriching your life may include moving to a cabin by a lake, while someone else might simply strive to make as much money as they can. Either way, the point is that one is actively trying to live life to the max, pursuing opportunities they see...