It goes without saying that toxic people can be corrosive to our mental and emotional satisfaction. The longer they remain in our lives and the more time we spend with them, the higher the risk it poses to our well-being.  Stop for a moment to consider who in your life you'd deem toxic: Is it a boss or co-worker who has a knack for humiliating you at work? Is it a friend who talks smack behind your back?  Or is it even your own partner, whose comments about your physical appearance border on the abusive? Perhaps you might have multiple toxic folks in your personal and professional life. Such relationships can be awfully difficult to navigate, but with the right tools, you can neutralize their power and walk away stronger and more resilient.  The damage toxic people can inflict  Toxic people can undercut our self-esteem and diminish our feelings of self-worth. The more they repeat things like "you're not worth it" to us, the more likely we are to come to believe them....

When did you last come across a rude individual? Was it at the office? While getting the mail? In the elevator on the way to your dentist appointment? It happens to the best of us. There's a preponderance of rude folks in the world, and there's little we can do about it. We do, however, exert control over how we respond to the ones in our orbit.  To be fair, we ourselves can be rude to others as times. We're only human. The key is for the person to recognize the offensive behavior, apologize, and prevent displaying such behavior in the future to the best of their ability.  Some people are, well, naturally rude. It's as if a day that goes by where they don't exhibit rudeness raises alarm. It could just be in their genes, it may be a product of their environment/upbringing, or a melding of the two. I speak of the folks who cut others off on the road, don't hold the door for those behind them, and lambast their co-workers.  In some cases, they may just be having a ...

The last thing you should tolerate from anyone is disrespect. Even if you're at fault, it doesn't give someone the right to disparage you. Part of being an adult is talking civilly with others. In order to earn people's respect, you need to stand up for yourself, or else you'll continue to fall victim to their insolence. This applies to everyone in our lives -- strangers, friends, co-workers, partners, even children. I'm in no way suggesting that you return in kind the impertinent behavior. By berating the individual, you're simply stooping down to his or her level. Rather, we should speak tactfully, if forcefully. It's not always easy to reach that fine line, but we can get there with ample practice. All of us are deserving of others' respect. If we make a mistake, we have no choice but to deal with the consequences. However, that does not entitle someone to denigrate us, let alone in public or around friends and family. If the other person is t...