When we're in a happy mood -- whether because we nabbed a promotion or landed a date with someone we've had our eye on -- we don't hesitate to express our emotions. We might smile, laugh, cheer, post a buoyant message on social media, or treat your friends to celebratory drinks. But things play out quite differently when we're going through a rough patch in our lives. We might instead hide our emotions -- sadness, anger, jealousy -- because we don't want to worry others or compel them to probe. As a result, we might turn down invitations to attend parties, call it a night unusually early, and shelve the kinds of things we look forward to when we're in better spirits, like hobbies.  There's nothing wrong with playing your cards close to your chest. In particular, I discourage anyone from bringing your feelings to light on social media unless you've altered your settings so that only those closest to you -- the ones you genuinely trust -- see those posts. ...

The biggest complaint men seem to have about women is that, when it comes to relationships, " they don't know what the heck they want .'' Many of these hapless guys say they do everything to gain women's favor -- buy them flowers and candy, send them romantic texts, call them every so often to see how they're doing -- but it still lands them in the friend zone. Still others say they can't understand why women go for the jerks they claim to loathe. It is true that what many women say they want -- and what they actually go for -- aren't always in alignment. Here's what I've observed: Most women don't go looking for jerks who will mistreat them. No one wishes to be treated like dirt -- unless, of course, they harbor low self-esteem and feel they deserve that. But that is the exception rather than the rule. No, what most women want is confidence . Though they may not say it directly, women really do want the man to be in charge, whet...

How do you know that a friendship is real -- that it's built to last? The test is simple: See what happens when one person doesn't need the other for anything anymore. We all get something out of friendships: a person to hit up the bar with, a gym buddy, a shoulder to cry on when things go awry. But sometimes circumstances change in one's life that leaves them with less time for or interest in a given friendship: They move, get married, they have kids, and so forth. Unfortunately, many of my friendships have ceased to exist -- or become much more watered down -- as soon as the person got into a relationship. Some people seem to have trouble juggling their relationship with their friendships. It could be a sign of a possessive partner, or maybe the friend is so head over heels in love that they couldn't care less about their friends anymore. I've observed that people who abandon their friends for a relationship end up regretting it, especially if the re...

It's just one of countless stereotypes that never seem to go away: that men are purely rational creatures who don't show emotion. I am a man and not ashamed to admit that I show a healthy dose of emotion. I can't bear to see a dead animal, or one in any sort of pain. I had a cat for 25 years that I found dead in my yard in 2005. I had another cat who vanished on a cool December night, never to be seen again. I found my third cat -- only about a year and a half at the time -- lying lifeless across the street from my home. I cried all three times as if i had lost a member of the family. I also cry whenever I see sad stories involving animals in movies or TV shows. I have also cried when I have confronted challenging moments, like when I was laid off in the throes of the financial crisis and felt like I'd never find a half-decent job. So, if there was any doubt in your mind as to whether men have shows of affection, there's your answer. Now, for women, is there...