Lifestyle: Five Steps In Handling A Busybody Friend

There are many helpful ways to deal with nosy friends, some of which are polite and cordial and some of which employ firmer tactics. If you hate having people all up in your business, especially when they aren’t invited, you have to stand up for yourself. Maintaining your personal space and privacy is entirely your right. You might not feel comfortable when someone, even a friend, asks all kinds of uncomfortable questions, second guesses you, and questions every decision you make. You don’t have to put up with that, though – especially if you use any of the following ways to deal with nosy friends.Be Straight About It But Be Nice
One of the friendliest, most lighthearted ways to deal with nosy friends is to play it off when they start digging.
If your friend is firing question after question about your date the night before, demanding to know where you went, what you did, if he kissed you, and so on, jokingly ask her when she became a member of the CIA.
You’re not exactly being mean, but it can make your friend realize that she’s going a little overboard.Keep Shut!
Sometimes even vagueness won’t work, however. If being noncommittal isn’t doing the trick, stay silent instead.
Don’t talk about your plans, don’t discuss the aspects of your personal or professional life you don’t want to share, and generally keep your lips zipped.
You may have to ignore your friend in certain situations, which is difficult, but if talking about something makes you uncomfortable and your friend won’t stop, do what you have to do.Use Body Language
If the idea of ignoring your friend doesn’t appeal to you, get your point across through your body language.
You can easily telegraph discomfort through the gestures you make and the way you hold yourself.
Crossed arms, turning your body away, and tense shoulders reveal that you’re not at ease.
Sometimes a well-placed eye roll or sigh can do the trick as well.
Don’t lie to a nosy person
If you are unsure or don’t want them to know what you are doing, don’t lie to them, tell them to mind their own business, or get defensive, just say “I don’t know”. Sometimes it can be enough to hush them up. If they persist, just carry on saying I don’t know. Eventually, they will stop asking. Lying and getting defensive only makes them think you have something to hide and it can cause the nosy person to bother you more or get angry.Give out little information about yourself
Tell them as little as possible about you, your friends and your family’s sensitive information and business. This goes for letters, email, instant messaging, as well as face-to-face. Beware, as their questions can be ingredients and recipes for them to gossip and blab! Photo Credit: Getty

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