Q: Dear Todd, most people don’t like me, no matter how friendly & kind I am to them. Some people don’t like me in the 1st instance without even knowing me. Others pretend to like me. At work today I was told by one of my colleagues I’m making them look bad just because I was getting on with my work. They all keep staring at me when I notice their gaze they quickly look away. I’m getting fed up with it, I have left many jobs because of being hated so much. I trust no one.

TODD ANSWERS: People can be cruel, but usually it’s a defense mechanism that they developed because someone was cruel to them. All that matters is who you know yourself to be.