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37<br />
- Alex Haley<br />
In every conceivable manner, the family<br />
is link to our past, bridge to our future.<br />
Stay calm<br />
Remember, a nosy person often<br />
doesn’t realise they are being rude.<br />
Perhaps they are lonely and simply<br />
want to make friends. It’s a good idea<br />
not to get angry, even if you feel they<br />
are being intrusive. Instead, answer<br />
questions politely but quickly so you<br />
don’t feel pressurised into giving away<br />
personal information you’d rather not<br />
share.<br />
Protect your boundaries<br />
If you have a neighbour who has<br />
a habit of spying on you, or your<br />
children, take a look at your property<br />
and see if there’s anything you can<br />
do to improve your privacy. Planting<br />
bushes or erecting a fence could be<br />
a simple way to prevent prying eyes.<br />
And if you feel uncomfortable because<br />
they’re forever glancing through your<br />
windows, net curtains or blinds could<br />
be the solution.<br />
Keep the door shut<br />
Do you or members of your<br />
family dread hearing a knock at<br />
the door because you know it’ll be<br />
your neighbour yet again? Well,<br />
remember you’re under no obligation<br />
to answer the door just because you<br />
are home. If you’d rather not chat, just<br />
ignore the door. They’ll soon get the<br />
message. Your house is your sanctuary<br />
and no one should make you feel<br />
uncomfortable within your own home.<br />
Call them out<br />
Perhaps you have a sneaky<br />
neighbour who tries to spy on you<br />
without being seen. If this is the case,<br />
make sure they know that you’re<br />
aware of their behaviour and hopefully<br />
they’ll feel shamed into stopping.<br />
For example, if you see curtains<br />
twitching, give a cheery wave. If you<br />
spot them peeping over the fence, ask<br />
them directly if they need something.<br />
Hopefully, this will be enough to<br />
improve their behaviour.<br />
Make friends<br />
If you or your neighbour has<br />
recently moved to the neighbourhood,<br />
it may be that they are simply hoping<br />
to make friends with your family. Or<br />
perhaps they are just curious about<br />
their new neighbours. Try chatting to<br />
them and you might find that you get<br />
on well and then you’re less likely to<br />
view their behaviour as nosiness but<br />
simply friendliness.<br />
<strong>August</strong> <strong>2018</strong> • Issue III • Volume VII • yourwellness.com
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