the most noteworthy quotes of 2015

Here’s my list of the most noteworthy quotes from the past year!

• “It’s always about the money,” is routinely asserted by “Mr. Wonderful” (Kevin O’Leary) on the popular program “Shark Tank.” O’Leary may have a net worth of $400 million dollars, but his philosophy of life makes absolutely no sense!
• “It’s a weak man that urges compromise,” opines actor Matthew McConaughey in a commercial for a luxury car. Why is compromise viewed as a sign of weakness? Living with others requires cooperation and concessions. That’s a sign of maturity, not a character flaw.
• “Live for now…” is the tag line for an advertising campaign for Pepsico. The company referred to this phrase as their “central governing idea for the brand globally” and “the way Pepsi behaves as a brand.” This may sell soft drinks, but it’s terrible advice. Happy and successful people have a high degree of self-control. They realize the value in working hard for something today, for the sake of something better tomorrow. They delay gratification, because they realize that responding to their immediate feelings is generally not a good way to live a life of meaning.
• “Change the way you sleep…..change your life…” This mattress ad got it right! Sleep problems with children are often misdiagnosed as ADHD, anxiety disorders, or behavior problems. Helping your child develop healthy sleep patterns is critical to enhance your child’s physical and mental health.
• “It was what was going on inside his brain….the chemical warfare that no one knew about” asserted by Robin William’s wife after the suicide of this gifted actor. It’s estimated that about a million people a year attempt to kill themselves, with about 41,000 completed deaths. We won’t make much progress in dealing with this issue until we remove the stigma around mental health. No one blames a person for having physical problems like breast cancer or diabetes. However, mental problems are still viewed as a sign of moral weakness.
• “Spike your best friend’s egg nog when they’re not looking,” asserted a print ad for a Bloomingdale’s catalog that involved a picture of a man staring at a woman. This appeared to be a not so subtle endorsement of date rape. The company apologized for its “error in judgment.” I’d fire anyone involved in approving such an offensive ad!
• “Life’s better when we’re connected...” is the tag line for a credit card. These few words summarized thousands of studies over the past 50 years on the science of happiness. Relationships built on trust, caring and communication are the most important thing you can do to live a happy life. Staying connected with others (not a credit card) is what life is really all about.