In the last 15 years, smartphones have become a necessary tool as basic as a car or wallet. While this convenience is an undeniable benefit, our continued dependence on smartphones is becoming an issue.

The condition of loneliness can be a multi-faceted and complex issue. It is defined as feeling disconnected, experiencing social awkwardness, and having bouts of prolonged solitude. While feeling lonely does not fall under the mental health issue spectrum, those who experience it often deal with depression and anxiety.

When it comes to New Year’s resolutions, many people ignore the adage that less is more, and resolve to get more active, lose weight, and be happier. While these are admirable goals, what people don’t realize when they set themselves these simple resolutions for the new year is that actually setting down tangible goals will always be more useful than simplistic statements that would be more at home in an ad for a gym or a new weight-loss beverage.

Christmas marketing – it starts before Thanksgiving and goes until the presents are unwrapped and the floor underneath your tree is covered in dead pine needles. This year, make meaningful memories and escape the relentlessly materialistic Christmas messaging by instituting some new traditions with your family. Things that will bring you together and allow you to bond over a new shared experience.

Think about what you want in life. Is “happiness” one of those things? It usually is for most people. But, happiness is not a destination; it’s a state of being. In psychology, this state is often referred to as self-actualization.

One of the most important things to realize as we grow up is that everyone feels awkward sometimes. Some days, you’ll head to work feeling amazing, rocking a great pair of shoes or a killer outfit, and you’ll feel like you can conquer the world. Other days, you’ll leave your house and realize your shirt is on backwards right after someone tells you about that piece of spinach stuck in your teeth.