UNKNOWN

The urge to be liked is a powerful force in this world: It can force you to rethink behavior, appearances, even relationships.

But despite even the very best efforts, no one has a say in how much other people like them.

It can be hard to force yourself to stop a train of thought. An easier alternative is to change the intensity of your language, thus muting its power.

"I can't stand this" becomes, "This is challenging. " "I hate... " becomes, "I don't like... " and even, "I don't prefer... "

• Stop trying to rationalize credit purchases, getting rid of all the credit cards and switching to cash only. Not even the checkbook or debit card has to be kept handy.
• Track down every dollar spent, analysing your spending patterns.
• Understand your mind and the need to sho...