Solitude

Things were going swimmingly well until your last outburst. He has suddenly gone into a shell and snapped all communication with you.   You fear having meandered into a forbidden territory, and that things might never be the same again. But still can't point at what exactly went wrong?   One scathing remark is all it takes to shut him down, so even while you are in the middle of a serious fight, remember your vocabulary is key. Jesting about his mom, reminding him of an ex, are just some of the terrible things you can ever say to him. And in so doing create lasting scars in your relationship. We list six awful phrases that turn him red in the face, and need to be done away with ...   pronto.   'Look how smart my brother is, you can never be like him'   Comparisons drive men away! So, simply stop making them, even if they are genuine. Particularly comparisons with your brother, father or worst of all another guy friend can trigger resentment in him. Feel...

By now, it’s an accepted fact that all of us urban workers, unlike earlier generations, will go through at least five to six job changes (if not more) during the course of our working lives. But disengaging from one company and moving to another can be a tricky proposition, particularly if you leave on a bad note. There’s always the temptation to badmouth the former workplace and boss. However, while venting your rage may feel good, it’s not right to vent just anywhere nor is it smart to vent to just about anyone. Social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter are supposed to be open forums where you can freely speak your mind. But there have been plenty of instances where people have been let go from their jobs for venting on these websites. For example, in 2009, Dawnmarie Souza, a union worker for the American Medical Response of Connecticut, was fired for insulting her boss in a series of Facebook updates. Moving on People quit their jobs for a variety of reasons, b...

There are plenty of reasons for us to invoke the power of positive thinking in ourselves, but most of the benefits of a positive attitude can be sized into one of these more prominent "Big Three Lesses" below: 1. Less Stress   Imagine all the times you were complaining about somebody or something - chances are those negative feelings were leaving their mark on you in the form of stress.A lot of times, an occasional complaint may seem like an instant stress reliever. But what about such an attitude in the long run? Getting into the habit of constant grousing, particularly over trivialities or things not directly in our control (like other people's attitude, for instance), is a sure fire way to invite the negative power of stress into our being. Since stress feeds on negativity, reducing stress is a good reason to eliminate negativity and stay positive in life.  "Attitude is everything. Instead of thinking about what you're missing, try thinking ab...

Negative people are an unfortunate fact of life. Whether it’s the coworker who is always complaining about the company or the sister whose judgmental remarks make every visit an ordeal, they drive us nuts. Here’s the bad news: we’re not going to change them. But we can learn to react to them in ways that protect our self-esteem as well as our sanity. So we’ve gathered some great tips for you: Steer the conversation in a neutral direction. Talk about books, movies, celebrities  — anything that will stop the complaining or snarking. If a person is talking about a specific problem  (the high cost of medical care, the amount of work she has to do), just listen to her and try to understand how she feels. If you want, ask if there’s anything you can do to help, but only if it won’t drain you. Don’t argue.  That just draws you into the cycle of negativity. Complainers are likely to think that you’re trying to talk them out of feeling angry, and that can make them even angrier...