Being a good friend means standing by someone through thick and thin.  While friendships may be struck up during good times and are often based on laughter and fun, what solidifies our bonds with the people we are lucky enough to call friends is the way we show up for one another when times are …

It is a popular saying that blood is thicker than water. This means that the bonds of loyalty and love that tie us to our family members are very difficult to break.  While we may argue or disagree with our relatives, at the end of the day, they are family, and there will always be …

Grief is a tough burden to bear, no matter how old we are when we experience it. However, losing someone you love is especially devastating when you are a teenager.  Experiencing the death of a loved one at a young age forces one to confront a confusing combination of emotions, including sadness, anger, and denial.  …

There is no loss quite like that of a father. From the moment children enter this world, involved fathers play an important role in their lives. Fathers are our protectors and our providers. Through their firm but gentle guidance, we gradually learn how to draw on our strength and stand on our own two feet. However, …

There is hardly anything as painful as losing a parent, no matter what age we are when they pass away.  For those of us lucky to have (or have had) good relationships with the people who raised us, our parents are our pillars and our rocks. They teach us about the world, our place in …

Daily acts of kindness increase not only our well-being but as well as others; it follows that saying something nice like “You are beautiful” to someone is just as good as gold. While giving compliments can be quite an easy thing to do, accepting them may not. We may feel shy or awkward about it …

Like most slang, the phrase “what’s good?” can mean several things depending on how it is used. In its most basic form, “what’s good? simply means, “what’s up?  If someone asks you “what’s good?”, they usually expect you to tell them what you’re doing and/or how you’re doing. Basically, it is just another way of …

Even the most common question like “How’s your day?” can be a little tricky to deal with at times. We hear it all the time, yes. We ask the same question to others quite a lot too. Interestingly, our response mainly depends on how we feel about the person asking how our day was or …

Starting a conversation can be pretty tough especially when talking to a stranger, acquaintance, or coworker. However, some common phrases such as ‘What’s up?’ and ‘How’s it going?’ help you keep a chat going.  While these questions are quite easy and famous, knowing how to respond to them is the real trick. It can lighten …

“Hey! How’s it going?” This is a very common greeting in American English; it transcends colloquial or regional dialects. It is understood by most every American, but for those who don’t speak English as their first language or for those who are simply shy, finding the right way to respond can be difficult. Let’s look …