Yesterday, I allowed someone to make me feel like a useless piece of garbage the other day because this is someone I love and respect; the experience was all the more traumatic and terrible.

When situations like this happen, we try to find a way to fix ourselves in a calming and empowering way. If we are honest, we would like to create an invisible shield to protect our vulnerable selves from hurtful remarks, cruel jokes, and judgment that would force us to second-guess our life ambitions. Un...