When you're writing an invitation to connect via LinkedIn, you may not think it's worth putting much thought into. After all, you don't personalize most of your other social media requests. Facebook? You click a button. Twitter? Your contact doesn't even have to approve of you "following" them. The same is true on Pinterest: you might follow people that you've never met before simply because they routinely post things that you're interested in seeing. 

Any single person will tell you that dating can be difficult. Dealing with depression while you're trying to meet your perfect match can feel overwhelming, but it doesn't have to.

In the early 1800's, James Parkinson wrote a now well-known manuscript titled, “An Essay on the Shaking Palsy.” Despite its discovery made more than 200 years ago, Parkinson’s disease (PD) has only recently become more commonly identified. The increased awareness of this debilitating disease is largely due to celebrities such as Muhammad Ali, Michael J. Fox and Billy Graham, all who have developed symptoms of and linked familiar faces to the disorder.

Modern medicine can provide amputees a way to replace some of their lost function through the use of prosthetic limbs and physical therapy. But even though a prosthetic can help someone who has lost part or all of an arm or a leg, it can’t replace the lost sense of touch. A research project spearheaded by the U.S. military is trying to change that.

There are people who think that if you're not in a hurry to meet Mr. (or Mrs.) Right and settle down, you must be in need of counseling. After all, life is focused around relationships, right? If you don't enjoy being with people, you must be dealing with depression.  A little counseling, a little time out with your close friends, and you'll be ready to take on the world again. Surely that "loner" perspective is just the result of a bad experience, or a negative time in your life...right? Actually, not necessarily.

When it comes to your career, you know that networking isn't a one-hit-and-done proposition. It takes time, effort, and investment--and often, you might wonder whether or not you're really accomplishing anything at all. Sure, you get to know a lot of interesting people in your field, and it's great that you're getting your name and your face out there; but how can you ensure that your name, your face, and your credentials will be the ones to stand out?

Many things that can help you with a job promotion are the same things that can hold you back. Take for instance, grammar. Proper grammar is vital for a successful career. But, if your grammar is sub-par, this can often correlate to your workplace position. Luckily, there are simple solutions for a grammar conundrum.

People with speech impediments work hard with speech therapy their entire lives with varying degrees of success. Some mild impediments can be entirely overcome, while more serious issues with speech will only see degrees of improvement even with years of dedicated practice.

Mental Health issues are pretty common in the United States. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, close to 1 in 5 adults struggle with some kind of issue related to their mental or emotional well-being. Unfortunately, even though such issues are very common, they are not something that most people in our society feel comfortable discussing.

Savvy job-hunters know that your social media presence can impact your career opportunities. Sites like LinkedIn have taken the place of traditional recruitment strategies for HR departments around the country.

Nurses are a cornerstone of the modern health care system, but they might not always get the recognition they deserve. That changes this week. May 6 marks the start of National Nurses Week, an annual commemoration that ends each year on May 12, the birthday of perhaps the most famous nurse of all time – Florence Nightingale.

"Have you hugged a teacher today?" While this may be a popular bumper sticker phrase, it is a safe bet that most educators do not get the type of daily appreciation they deserve.  Next to parents, teachers probably have the most influence on children through their developmental years.

If you or someone you love is dealing with an "invisible" illness--most notably mental and emotional health issues that are impossible to observe from the outside--you may feel lost, abandoned, and alone. Many people don't understand the trials that you face or the difficulties that you experience in simply trying to live out your everyday life. That's why the month of May is dedicated to mental health awareness.