Spend your spare time the way you like -- not the way you think you're supposed to. Do the things you enjoy -- not the ones you feel you ought to enjoy only because society expects you to. If reading, writing, painting, fishing, fixing cars, admiring nature, museum hopping, going to a baseball game, shopping, dining, traveling around the world, or simply watching TV does it for you, go for it. If you don't want to party, don't do it. If you don't want to drink, stand your ground. If you don't want to have a kid or pet, whether now or ever, don't feel compelled to do so just so that you can fit in with the animal lovers or mothers-of-three at work. Many people -- even close friends -- will try to pressure you into doing things that go against your nature or may even make you uncomfortable. Don't succumb to such coaxing. If they can't take no for an answer, they're not real friends. You have a right to do as you wish in your free time. Do...

When you ask people what happiness means to them, most will respond with platitudes like "having a lot of money" or "being loved." To me, though, the real meaning of happiness runs a whole lot deeper. And if there ever was a definition of the word that captures the true essence of happiness, it would have to be the one below, which I found via a Facebook page a couple of days ago: "Happiness is letting go of what you think your life is supposed to look like and celebrating it for everything that it is." The first part of that sentence -- "what you think your life is supposed to look like" -- is simply another way of saying "social pressure." Many of us think that if we don't live up to societal expectations -- getting married, buying a house, having kids, landing a high-powered job -- we've failed ourselves and our loved ones. We're constantly comparing ourselves to friends, relatives, neighbors, and coworkers, ...

Today's quote comes from Alexander Hamilton (1755-1804) -- founding father, first treasury secretary of the United States, and the subject of the hit Broadway musical that has taken the country by storm. Not only did he coauthor The Federalist Papers , a collection of 85 articles and essays promoting the ratification of the U.S. Constitution, but he founded the Federalist Party and was the mastermind behind the establishment of the first national bank. Like his arch-nemesis Thomas Jefferson, who everyone knows wrote the Declaration of Independence, Hamilton was a prodigious writer in his lifetime, penning scores of letters, reports, and even George Washington's Farewell Address. Sadly, he died at age 47 after being shot in a duel with Aaron Burr. Because of their sheer brilliance and masterful pen, I consider Jefferson and Hamilton the two most fascinating figures in American History. Hamilton once said, "Those who stand for nothing fall for anything." If th...

I've met some people whose interests might make you flinch at first blush. One guy I met in college liked collecting bugs. Another had the most extensive collection of coins I'd ever seen. What's more, a woman I currently work with says she enjoys watching videos of people getting their hair cut. However outlandish your interests may seem to the world, you should never apologize for them . They're one of the many things that make you you . You're a composite of various unique behaviors, quirks, thoughts, and interests -- ones you should never change for anyone unless you truly desire to. As long as you truly love the activity in question, aren't being pressured into it by anyone, and aren't doing it merely to conform to societal expectations, you should never feel weird for calling it one of your passions. I myself collect historical memorabilia -- from figures of presidents to books and DVDs to reproductions of historic documents. I've been call...

Today's quote comes from Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882), an American poet, essayist, and lecturer who led the Transcendentalist movement of the mid-19th century: "To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is the greatest accomplishment." - Ralph Waldo Emerson It's amazing how Emerson's words ring especially true in this digital era we live in. Whether it's on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram, people are always trying to one-up each other in an effort to get as many "likes" and positive comments as they can get. They lose sight of their true selves and instead turn into the individuals society wants them to be. In essence, they sell out for social approval. Indeed, society says that we should do all the following: Look as skinny as possible Have as many kids as possible Get married as early as possible Work in the most prestigious high-paying jobs (vice president, etc.) Possess as much money and materi...