How often have you come across someone -- whether at school, work, the grocery store, or even on Facebook -- who tries to meddle in your business? Perhaps you've just been laid off or come out of a tumultuous relationship, or maybe you've lost someone dear to you. Some people are hardly satisfied in just knowing why you've seen better days; they press you for more details despite your showing a desire to be left alone. Why are they this way? While some may be driven by a genuine yearning to comfort you, others may simply be nosy. Make no mistake about it: Certain individuals are constantly comparing themselves to others although doing so -- unbeknownst to them, perhaps -- only makes them less happy in the end. Sadly, some of these people take pleasure in other's misfortunes, and still others use it as fodder for gossip. Thus the reason I always advise my readers not to disclose too much information to others. If it falls into the wrong hands, it can open...

We've all had people -- whether they be friends, neighbors, co-workers, or acquaintances -- ask us downright nosy questions that border on inappropriate. Here's a sampling of questions that might make you flinch: How much money do you make? How much money do you have saved up? How much did you pay for your home? At what age did you lose your virginity? Do you and your spouse/partner have a healthy sex life? Do you and your spouse/partner fight a lot? When are you going to have kids? (I addressed this one in a post this morning -- Are parents envious of the childfree? ) What health issues do you have? These are the kinds of questions I'd expect a shrink to ask of me, not Joe in accounting or the old lady who lives two houses down.  The worst offenders are the people who pry into your personal life, yet fail to divulge such details about their own lives.  If you ever run into a person like this, don't be afraid to politely change the subject. Or, j...