Steer clear of those who hurt you more than they love you. Avoid those who drain you more than they replenish you. Stay far away from people who bring you more stress than they do peace and joy. Distance yourself from those who try to stunt your growth rather than applaud it. I know what you're probably thinking: In principle, this sounds fine and dandy, but you couldn't possibly avoid every person who occasionally makes you feel like crap, from your toxic boss to your meddling in-laws. To a certain extent, that's true. But one of the most effective ways to navigate relationships with difficult people is to not take what they say or do to heart. If you take everything they say personally, you're essentially surrendering power over your emotions to them. You're enabling them to win. No one has permission to make you feel bad unless you grant it to them. Remember, many of these people are unhappy and disgruntled in their own lives, so they see to it ...

Doesn't it annoy you when someone you hardly know -- a coworker, an acquaintance, or even someone you just started dating -- pretends to know you better than you know yourself? They proceed to give you unsolicited tips and advice based on their own personal experiences, expecting you to follow suit without hesitation. Ugh! Eventually, you'll have to break it to them plainly: No one knows you better than you know yourself. You really have to hand it to some people. They speak with such verve and self-confidence that it's hard not to buy into their every word and do exactly as they say. To be fair, I'm not saying that their advice should never be welcome. Sometimes people really do have valuable wisdom to impart, especially if talking to younger folks seeking some guidance. The problem is when they try to make decisions for us. They push us to leave our doctor for theirs, buy our next car at their preferred dealership, or even date someone whom they're sure ...

The next time someone tries prying into your affairs, tell them to mind their own business ! Easier said than done, right?  Sometimes the situation and people involved call for a more tactful approach. You wouldn't tell the person off if it's your boss or in-law. So what is someone to do if they don't people meddling in their lives? What always works for me is simply changing the subject. Once you see they're attempting to dig up personal details on your life, talk about any other topic to take the focus off of you -- whether it's the weather, sports, or food. What's so ironic about nosy people is that they tend to be very interested in others' lives but very secretive about their own. It goes without saying that you should never divulge confidential information to these individuals. Before you know it, they've gone and told the whole block, even if you've sworn them to secrecy. One of the nosiest questions I'm asked is how much I...