It isn't always easy to believe in ourselves. We can hit any number of roadblocks in life, often through no fault of our own, whether it's not meeting our dietary goals or landing that book contract as quickly as we like.  But as cliche as it sounds, patience and persistence are integral. If you don't feel deep down that you have what it takes to make it happen, you won't.  When you believe in yourself, everything the naysayers have told you -- that you can't do this, that you can't achieve that -- fades into oblivion.  When you believe in yourself, self-doubt gives way to self-confidence, propelling you to accomplish goals you never thought possible. When you believe in yourself, you stop telling yourself that every one except you is capable. You begin to accept that you're just as equipped -- if not more so -- to succeed.  When you believe in yourself, you cease proffering excuses for why you can't do something. You stop saying "I'll try....

My readers often ask me why so many people out there are frenetically searching for love. Perhaps you have a friend, relative, or co-worker who appears preoccupied with finding "the one." My pointed response is that the media -- and that includes social media -- plays an integral role. From dating apps like Tinder and Facebook posts about people professing their love for their partner to stories in the news centering on blissful marriages and a seemingly endless stream of songs about break-ups, society promulgates the following message: Being with someone is a good thing. Being single is not. If you don't have anyone in your life, it just isn't whole. Something is missing, and you'll only be able to be happy and fill the void once you pair up. This, of course, is silly. I have a slew of readers who count themselves among the happily single. They don't feel empty or broken because they don't have a partner. On the contrary: Many are reliev...

Some of my readers have asked me how they can gauge whether their relationship is built to last. Those who are currently single have similarly wondered what the keys to a fruitful relationship are. To both camps I respond as follows: While there is no such thing as the perfect relationship, you know yours has the potential to last a lifetime if the two of you connect on four fundamental levels: (1) physically (2) emotionally (3) mentally and (4) spiritually . Below I touch upon what each connection entails. Physical connection:  While looks are certainly not the most important facet of a romantic relationship, they still count to a certain degree. You don't need a partner who looks like Brad Pitt or Angelina Jolie to appreciate their beautiful eyes, nice legs, smooth skin, or wonderful smile. In other words, while the person may not be a "10" on the attractiveness scale, they still have physical assets that you, as their partner, can admire. But we needn't plac...

A study conducted in the late 1990s revealed that a whopping 75% of respondents believed in soulmates. Of those, nearly the same proportion (3/4) were women. So, the big question is: Is there only one person in the whole world that can complete us? As much as I would love to buy into this notion, I just don't believe it to be true. People loosely throw around the word "soulmate" as a means of validating their choice of partner. We can have only so many partners in our lives-- that's why sooner or later we convince ourselves that our partner is "the one" after all. But to say that only one person in the whole world can be totally compatible with you on a mental, physical, emotional, and spiritual level just doesn't hold water in my book. I respect those who believe in fate, but I believe that what happens to us in life is a combination of fate and free will. You may be destined to meet, date, and marry John Doe, but if you're a social hermit...