In light of all the reshuffling that Covid has produced in the workplace, there's now a popular phrase being used to describe when workers essentially "check out" and do the least possible to keep their jobs while searching for better opportunities on the down low: quiet quitting.  This had me thinking: Could quiet quitting not also be applied to relationships? Indeed, many of us have been in that unfortunate situation: Our partner unofficially quits on us and the relationship by doing the absolute minimum. Once we confront them about their not pulling their weight, they become defensive if not downright hostile, charging that we're being overdramatic. Easy for them to say, right?  Carrying the entire relationship on one's shoulders is a major cross to bear. When we suspect our partner isn't doing their part, it can be mentally and emotionally devastating.  All kinds of unpleasant thoughts begin to cross our minds. Are they cheating? Are they no longer attract...

Many people show more interest in other people when they're not around than when they are. We all have that coworker who may not talk to us for days at work, but somehow they notice when we're not there and proceed to inquire about it. Many of us have been in a relationship where the other person takes us for granted -- until we begin to show signs of getting fed up and cease putting in as much time and effort. Then there's the friend who only seems to care about the friendship once you've stopped calling and visiting them. If we want people to appreciate us, we have no choice but to force them to invest time and effort in us too -- not just the other way around. By doing so, the individual realizes that if they're taking their spare time to do something for us, they must truly care about us. The tendency to take others for granted is a theme I've broached in myriad posts on the blog. I understand that we get busy, and being unable to answer every ...

I've noticed that people generally good at practicing reciprocity -- the act of giving back the same treatment that someone has given you, whether it's good or bad. If you give someone a gift for his birthday, he'll likely give you one once your birthday rolls around. If you give him nothing, it's probably best not to expect anything in return. Very rarely do people give without first getting something themselves. More often that not, acts of kindness are rooted in those that came prior. It's a "you do, I do" dynamic. It's almost like playing tag. The same goes for negative behavior. If someone does something to upset you, your first instinct is to do the same to them. In reality, though, the best relationships are those where you do someone nice for someone else and expect nothing in return . They'll felt a sense of duty to return the favor, though, because we don't want to create the perception that we're unappreciative or taking...