It has been my experience in life that a lot of people enjoy telling other people what to do. Not suggesting but TELLING. A few examples:

“Why don’t you do X?”

“You should do Y.”

“You’re too old/young/short/tall/(enter descriptive) for Z.”

In every case I can think of that I witnessed or experienced, what was said was based on opinion. Thing is, so many people seem to expect their opinion to be taken as great words of wisdom straight from a grand guru.

What I as a listener/reader do? Revert what is said to the level of “a person’s opinion”. I replace all the “should”s by “could”s. If the person insists, I simply tell them “That’s your opinion, not mine.”

And if they insist some more? I always try to keep it polite and respectful, though I admit to occasional sarcasm. And most importantly, I move away from thar person. Sometimes temporarily, sometimes permanently.

What can I say? I don’t need thar kind of negativity crampin’ my style ;)

Truly yours,

A 30 year-old who still wears most of the things on that list and will keep doing it for as long as she darn well pleases!