You will find as you journey through life there are people out there who think they know what’s best for you. So they will attempt to control, manipulate, and influence you toward their agenda.

Don’t let them do it.

You’ll need

The biggest mistake people make when it comes to listening is they're so focused on what they're going to say next that they fail to hear what's being said.
Avoid this by asking questions. People like to know you're listening, and something as simple as a clarification question shows that you are...

• What do you say after you pick up the phone? Most people say "hello," and there's a reason for that: phone companies taught people to say it in the 1800s. 
• The word caught on, in part, because phone books instructed people to begin conversations by saying "hello" as a way to confirm ...