As of today, I'll be dedicating select blog posts to examining the meaning of words most people are unfamiliar with and tying them, of course, to the world of psychology and human behavior.  This week, let's explore the meaning of the word curmudgeon .  According to Dictionary.com, a curmudgeon is a bad-tempered, difficult, cantankerous person .  It brings to mind irritable characters like Grumpy from Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Scrooge from Charles' Dickins' "A Christmas Carol," and maybe even Donald Trump. We've all had to contend with so-called curmudgeons at work; in most cases, it's our own boss. We can also point to at least one person in our family known for being a major crank, whether it's a meddling grandparent or nosy aunt. It's safe to say we all have days in which we become curmudgeons . A couple of months ago, on the way to work, I noticed I had a flat tire. Having to take the car to the shop in the pour...

One of the surest ways to get hurt by other people is by getting emotional over every little thing they say and do . But you should never do this! I realize that human beings have feelings and emotions that they can't simply trap in a bottle. However, you can prevent getting hurt by approaching things in a more rational manner. When you feel deeply affected by someone's words or actions, stop and ask yourself the following: Why has what this individual said or done affected me so much? Is it really worth letting this individual change my mood? In what ways can I prevent myself from investing my emotions in this person? Far too often, we let other people have their way with our emotions. Luckily, there's a way to prevent such a scenario, and that's by taking a more rational stance as I've suggested above.  Wearing your heart on your sleeve is a recipe for heartbreak. If you must express your emotions, try to do in private if at all possible. The rea...