It sounds counterintuitive, right? As we approach Thanksgiving, we aim to be thankful for the wonderful folks in our lives The ones who are there for us when we need them. The ones who lift us when we hit rock bottom emotionally. So you might be wondering why in the world I'm suggesting we should be grateful for the naysayers, the toxic folks, the unredeemable narcissists.  Well, if we didn't have people like this in our lives, we would never come to appreciate those who embody the exact opposite qualities -- decency, respect, humility, and integrity, among others. That isn't to say that you should keep these folks in your life unnecessarily. Sometimes we need to put up with them for a job (the tyrannical boss) or for someone else's sake (the meddling in-laws).  But when someone is that unpleasant, it's easy to draw a contrast between them and the individuals you've come to respect and admire, e.g., sweet Sue in human resources or your boyfriend's caring cou...

When someone casts doubt on you and your ability to achieve a goal -- especially a far-fetched one -- how should you react? Should you hurl obscenities at them? Stoop down to their level and discredit their own goals or accomplishments? Absolutely not. The best course of action is to work harder than ever to achieve that goal -- and prove them wrong.  Over the years, people have doubted my ability to do everything from lose 30 pounds over the summer to land jobs for which there have been over 100 applicants. There's nothing sweeter than proving wrong those who write you off. And why would they? We can achieve anything we set our hearts and minds to. The naysayers are likely those who doubt their own ability to accomplish whatever goal you've set out to achieve, as well as their personal goals. They're simply projecting their own lack of self-confidence to you. Never stand for such behavior. If these individuals claim to be your friends, perhaps you ought to thin...