Manipulators and narcissists are like octopi—always reaching out with their tentacles to wrap around you, but instead of suction cups, they use guilt, lies, and flattery to hold on. Just when you think you’ve escaped, they squirt a cloud of confusion and slip back into your life. And, much like an octopus, they’re masters of […]

I have an acquaintance who is an accounting manager in a major firm with a salary of over $150,000 a year. She’s intelligent, fashion-forward, and speaks three languages fluently. Do I envy her? Kind of…with the exception of her absolutely horrible taste in men. She married someone whom she’s been financially supporting for the past […]

Before moving into my new home, the seller and I met up at what would soon be my place to sign a few papers, with both of our realtors in tow. As we chatted casually about our jobs, she mentioned that, being a professor, she considered herself an excellent judge of character. “You’re like an […]

Advice is kind of like ordering a pair of pants online: It won’t fit everyone, but you’ll only really know if it will work for you if you try it. And like fashion, some words of wisdom go out of style. I always strive to offer practical tips in my blogs, but sometimes the things […]

1. You feel like you’re just going through the motions. You’re existing, not living. I call this the “running on auto-pilot” feeling. You get up in the morning and go to work because you have to pay your bills. When someone asks how you are, your response is always “fine,” even when you’re not fine. […]

In a previous blog, I was highlighting some of the most interesting results of the studies I have conducted at Queendom in the last 20+ years. Check out these smash hits: #11 – Life satisfaction is not just about what’s in your bank account. Here’s what data from Queendom’s Life Satisfaction Test reveals about people […]

We’re all a little quirky. There is no “normal,” just many, many variations of “normal.” While doomsday theorists and philosophers might bemoan the fact that we’re destined to repeat the past, I find that I am always pleasantly surprised by some of the interesting results I uncover in my research. We may not be perfect, […]

Recently, there has been a flood of articles on “consciousness” popping into my newsfeed on Facebook. Most of them discuss scientists’ attempt to come up with a theory of what it is, how to measure it, and what it means for the rest of us. This is what we love to do in the research […]

I can’t bring myself to watch most reality shows—they make me shudder, like when I see a spider or smell milk that has gone bad. In particular, I am thinking of the reality shows where the little girls are dolled up to be pageant princesses or the one where the parents are raising a biblical amount […]

I am honestly dumbfounded by the ease at which people reveal their deepest, most humiliating secrets on one of those second-rate, no-holds-barred talk shows—in front of millions of strangers no less. I can barely speak above a whisper when talking to my pharmacist about bowel issues. This is why I kind of love the whole […]

Here’s a brief description of my typical Christmas Eve: I’m all for heartwarming traditions, but this year, I’m thinking of introducing a few new ones. Feel free to try them out too. (Disclaimer: I’m kidding. Don’t try these at home). The “Leave your issues at the door” Protocol Mix family dinners and eggnog and you’ve […]

Saturday afternoon, I watched my hairdresser as she flitted around getting my “recipe” ready. She seemed different: Her step was lighter, her head a little higher, her smile less strained. “The energy here is different,” I noted. “You like it here.” I swept my eyes across the room. There was a Christmas tree in the […]