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I have to write a persuasive essay in English class and the subject of my choice is the meaning of life. I knew ahead of time of the difficulties that will plague me in trying to properly define meaning and discuss the multiple views on the subject. My aim is to prove that a secular person can live a meaningful life. However, I want to know how I can argue for a meaningful life (more or less objectively, since it would have more grounding) without begging the question against the nihilist (who would claim that without a transcendent cause that there is no meaning at all)? It seems that to argue for a meaningful life I would have to presuppose that certain things have meaning, which they would deny. I could probably argue from analogy, and show that subjectively the fulfillment of someone's projects or the relationships we create with others have meaning to ourselves and that is enough (which I think it is) for someone to live meaningfully (or that without certain things, e.g. relationships our lives...

You'd be begging the question against the nihilist, and presupposing or presuming too much, if you simply declared that there can be meaningfulness without God, but didn't argue for it. If you can find a way to argue for your view, then you haven't committed any of those sins. Of course, not everyone will find your argument (whatever it is) persuasive, but you'd be doing much more than begging the question, etc. So--how can you argue for your view? You'll surely want to discuss the meaning of "meaningful." What does "the other side" think it means? Once you've figured that out, you may be able to make objections. For example, the idea behind the popular book "The Purpose Driven Life" is that having a built in purpose is the key to our lives being meaningful. That can be questioned through the artful use of examples. If the truth is that aliens are growing us as a food source (to be harvested when we hit a world population of 7 billion), would that give our lives meaning? (This is a question...
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Is there a best way to do everything? Would there be a best way to brush your hair? Or, are there sometimes multiple ways to do something that are just as good?

I love your question, but sadly I think it has a pretty easy answer. No, there's not a best way to do everything. Take your own example. The best way to brush your hair depends on what your hair-goals are. You might want shiny, smooth hair, or you might want the tousled bedhead look. If you want smooth hair, you must brush a lot. If you want the tousled look, you have to lay off the brush. There's nothing that says you must have either goal. Of course, not every way is equally good. No matter what your hair-goals are, brushing with a rake is a bad idea. This gives people who like to supervise a little room to maneuver. You can tell other people they're doing things the wrong way, even though there isn't also, necessarily, a best.
Value

To love and to be loved in return is supposedly one of our basic needs. If this is the case then how come ascetics and spiritual people such as priests, monks, nuns, etc. prefer to live solitary lives - some with little or no human contact - and claim that the lives they are living are fulfilled and in some cases claiming that they have transcended many needs and have reached contentment, realization, etc.?

I have long been fascinated by the desert saints, the extreme ascetics of the 4th century. The biggest "star" among them was Simeon Stylites, who stood alone on a pillar for 30 years, ceaselessly bowing in prayer, and enduring every conceivable deprivation. This struck me as the ultimate in solitary (and miserable) living until I started to wonder how we know so much about him. Then I learned that pilgrims used to throng to Egypt and Syria, where these ascetics lived, seeking inspiration and healing, or just for the spectacle. There's a wonderful bas relief from the year 500 showing a pilgrim on his way up a ladder leaning against Simeon's pillar. So these ascetics were not so completely alone after all. In fact, they were on the receiving end of a great deal of love. Maybe they loved these supplicants back, but clearly they did love their god. I think in the lives of many people who live a monastic life there are hidden sources of love and affiliation. But then, surely to varying degrees,...