Never let alone steal your happiness, as it was never theirs to take in the first place. People don't have to agree with you on everything. They don't even have to like you. But they certainly don't have a right to try to impinge on your happiness. They should just let you be and give you the respect that they expect in return. If only it were that simple... Some people might envy something you have -- whether it be your big house, loving spouse, or fulfilling job. Others may be going through a rough patch in their lives now and may decide that if they can't be happy, neither should others they come across. Misery always welcomes company. But you are no one's punching bag. Never should you put up with any kind of behavior that erodes your self-worth and tarnishes your quality of life. It's up to you whether you want to try and smooth things over, or if you'd rather kick the person out of your life in one fell swoop. It bothers me to no en...

When life has you feeling down on yourself -- whether it's because you're stressed at work or beset by problems in your marriage -- letting go is usually the first step toward getting things back on track. Here are some ways you can let go and infuse your life with positivity: Let go of what you thought should happen and live in what's happening. Let go of your grudges, for they will only cause the resentment and bitterness in you to fester. Let go of your notions of how people should think or behave in a given situation, for the higher you set your expectations of others, the more likely it is they'll fail to meet them. Let go of feelings of envy or jealousy you may feel toward those whom you perceive as more accomplished. Rather than compare yourself to others, compare yourself to the person you were six months ago or a year ago -- for that is a far better benchmark for measuring progress. Let go of the past. It's behind you now. All you can do is ta...

Let's face it: Some people would rather argue or cut contact with you than actually make an attempt to clear the air. They'd prefer to hold grudges than work to resolve conflict. Perhaps they were in the wrong and refuse to say sorry. Or, you were at fault and have already apologized, but they persist in giving you the cold shoulder. Most likely, the individual is either (1) immature (2) resentful of something you have that he or she doesn't and wants to spread the misery (3) upset over other personal issues and taking it out on you. At any rate, a person who is that intransigent has to have a deep sense of pride. They want to win, and taking any sort of conciliatory posture in their book smacks of backing down, so they refuse to change. But you know something? One of the most admirable qualities one can possess is humility. Those who refuse to meet in the middle will have a hard time keeping friends and romantic partners. Who wants to be around someone so arrog...

Don't let your or others' negativity get in the way of your happiness. If you're feeling down about anything -- no matter what it is -- tomorrow is a new day. While things might seem a little bleak now, your luck can change at a moment's notice. That's why we must never lose hope or faith. The more positive you are, the more likely you are to induce favorable events. You bump into the right person at the right time. Your resume gets into the hands of someone you know. Your hard work is finally noticed and you score that elusive promotion. But great things will only come your way if you believe deep down that they're possible. And, of course, it's incumbent on you to take the steps necessary so that those things can become a reality. You won't meet the right person by staying holed up in your apartment all the time. You won't get the promotion unless you promote your accomplishments. Never should we expect things to simply fall in our lap. Thu...