Don't believe everything you hear -- at work, home, or the dry cleaners -- no matter how plausible it may sound. Want to know why? Because rumors and lies spread faster than true facts. You know what they say: A story begins one way and changes considerably with every additional person who tells it. Some people lie outright -- others just embellish details to make the story a tad juicier. We should take everything people tell us with a grain of salt -- and be careful not to disclose private details of our own lives -- unless we're completely sure we can trust them. Unfortunately, people will lie for myriad reasons, whether it's to get ahead at work, feel better about themselves, or put others down. Sometimes it isn't easy to tell when someone is lying, but once I catch them in a lie, I immediately presume them to be compulsive liars who will strike again at a moment's notice. It then becomes very difficult -- if not impossible -- for me to trust them...

You can be forgiven for your words or actions, but chances are they won't be forgotten. I have forgiven people -- friends, ex-girlfriends, and the like -- who have done me wrong. In fact, I have stayed in close contact with most of them to this day. However, their hurtful words and actions remain firmly etched in memory, ready to be brought to bear should these individuals insist they've never let me down before. I try not to pull the plug on relationships I've invested a great deal of time and energy into. We all know that making new friends, especially as we get older, is no easy task. However, I become much more guarded thereafter, ensuring that they never again exploit my kind and giving nature for personal gain. I try to choose my words very carefully -- and act accordingly-- so that I won't later have to issue an apology. However, if I were to say or do something that results in hurt feelings, I most certainly would expect them to look at me with a cau...