By Samantha McKenzie

An old friend and I sat around carelessly talking about relationships and all of the joys and pitfalls that go along with the dating life.

“Finding the house is one thing; finding out who lives inside the house is what really matters,” he said.

What’s inside of a person is more valuable than what you see on the outside. Think about it. Most people are attracted initially to what they see with their eyes.  We all have some physical feature that draws people to us. It’s natural. We also spend a considerable amount of time making sure that we keep our physical in tact.

We invest in haircuts, fashionable clothing, make-up, gym memberships and tanning beds – all to make our outer appearances sparkle. We also invest in material items that enhance our image. There’s the high-end purses, the “gotta have them” shoes, the celebrity-like jewelry and the high-performance vehicles.

Our eyes feast on everything dazzling around us and we just sit back and indulge.But while visuals are certainly a part of the laws of attraction, it’s certainly not the most important factor. It’s what’s on the inside of a person that really counts.

When it comes to dating or finding a mate, we should try looking past the physical appearance and finding out about their character. It may sound cliche but it’s one of the best investments we can make in another individual. Are you looking for a person who’s always going to be honest with you? Does integrity matter to you? Do you prefer a person who is dependable? What about hard working?

Take more time looking on the inside of the house. Invest in finding out about the things that are less obvious about the person. Be full of curiosity and discovery.

But before you get started, check your own house out. Who lives inside of you?