Don't just pay attention to people's words. Give greater importance to their actions , for they count far more. Think of words as being like the facade of a home, and actions being akin to the foundation. Sure, a house can look pretty and structurally sound on the outside, but if the foundation is compromised, it can have dire consequences. The same goes for a car whose impeccable exterior masks problems that lie under the hood. In the content of a relationship, people may say they would go to the ends of the Earth for you, but if their behaviors fail to back up their words, such individuals are full of hot air. It's people's actions that lend their words substance. Imagine how many relationships have gone down the drain because people's words didn't match up with their deeds (or misdeeds, I should say). Maybe you're in a relationship with someone who says he loves you, but he never seems to be around when you're most in need of his supp...

Rather be by yourself than around fake friends? You're not alone. Rather be alone than in a relationship with a superficial individual? Join the club. Every coin has two sides. Similarly, many people we come across on a daily basis are unapologetically two-faced. Here are just a few reasons why people struggle to be genuine: They succumb to social pressure, relinquishing their individuality in the process.  They think they need to be different in order to gain approval from others, even if "different" means shallow and conniving.  They're selfish . They want to get their way, and they don't care whom they have to backstab -- and in what fashion -- to do so. They have a low self-esteem. These people firmly believe that being themselves isn't good enough, so they must resort to being deceptive and disingenuous.  That being said, never pay any mind to those who say it's better to be around fake people than it is to enjoy your own company. ...

No matter how nice and accommodating you may be toward friends and family, you can't control their loyalty towards you. Never expect that just because you act a certain way toward someone, they'll immediately turn around and reciprocate. In a perfect world, everyone would be disposed to scratching our back when we scratch theirs, but there are no guarantees in life. Some people are takers far more than they are givers. They're out to benefit themselves and pay little attention to the plight of those they have the audacity to call a friend or loved one. Especially telling is when they vanish into thin air upon learning that someone needs help. A good person sticks by through thick and thin. Of course, we all have obligations -- work, children, community service, and the like -- that may prevent us from getting as deeply involved as we'd like. But if we're fed every excuse in the book for why a person can never be there for us, it starts to feel dising...

Have you ever met a person who possesses enough charm and wit to win someone over in a matter of seconds? It can be anyone from the affable car salesman at the local dealer to a gregarious classmate to the amicable hiring manager you meet with for a job interview. Many people with sharp people skills are quick to employ them in order to get something they want, whether it's a sale or date. In psychology, the mere exposure effect is a phenomenon whereby people tend to develop a preference for something merely because they are familiar with them. In other words, familiarity breeds likeability. That's why, contrary to popular belief, things like follow-up calls and thank you letters can have a powerful effect so long as the individual made a great first impression. What's more, they will do little things to further build rapport, from pretending to agree with you on a wide range of issues (when deep down they diverge with you on many of them) to making it seem they...

I'm talking about butt kissers. Brown nosers. People who use flattery to curry favor. Sadly, it tends to be the primary weapon in the arsenal of people who want: A promotion at work To get laid  Someone to do him or her a favor And, oddly enough, this strategy tends to work! But that doesn't mean I am going to use it -- not today, not any day.  There's a saying that says, "I'd rather be hated for who I am than loved for who I'm not."  If not complimenting a person's hair or dress every day makes me a bad guy, then so be it. I am nice and friendly, yes, but kissing ass is not in my repertoire -- nor will it ever be. This seems to be most rampant in the workplace, where people kiss up to the big wigs like there's no tomorrow.  If you're going to give someone a compliment, don't do it unless it's entirely genuine. And if you sense someone's compliments toward you are disingenuous, your gut is probably on point...