Q: While you may not be able to allow this person to exit your life (say, if it's a co-worker or family member), you can limit your contact. Make yourself less available to this person (via text, phone, email and social media) and communicate that you would rather not spend all your time "plugged in." Say "I have just a few minutes before I need to go", and politely disengage when time is up. Politely decline any time you don't want to spend with this person. Don't lie or make up excuses, but do communicate your position by saying "I'm unavailable" or "I'm not interested in that activity." If this person texts or calls you incessantly, let her or him know that it's too much contact. Gently tell this person you don't like to communicate at all times and would like more space. This person may go to you to fix his or her problems, or always seem to have some sort of crisis. If you don't want to take this on, don't. If you hate getting caught up in gossip or "woe is me" stories, communicate this need tactfully. Especially if you give advice and this person tends to go against it, let it go. Allow the person to make his or her own decisions without you being a factor. Say, "I don't want to have this role in your life." Avoid offering solutions. Instead, offer words of empowerment, such as, "I'm sure you'll be able to work this out on your own." If asked, "Why don't we hang out anymore?", don't lie. There's no use creating a lie that you will have to keep up, and it is more respectful to the person and to yourself to remain in honesty. You may feel like you are protecting yourself or the other person, but ask yourself whether there is any real benefit from lying. However, there's no need to tell the person all the things you perceive as negative. Instead, put the focus on your own needs. Say, "Sometimes I have difficulty being involved in the drama of other people's lives when I have so much of my own already." You can also say, "It can feel really draining to be so closely involved with other people that I often need an emotional and physical break." You may choose to avoid this person, not respond immediately to texts or phone calls, or slowly cut this person out of your life. Whatever you do, do so in a way that you would want to be treated if you were on the other end. There's no need to be mean, catty, or vicious in your approach. You make these actions because you want to reclaim your life, not because you want to stir up drama or make someone feel bad. While your decisions remain yours alone, there's no need to tell other people about your decision to cut this person out of your life by gossiping. Don't "ghost", or suddenly cut all contact without explanation. Many people find this confusing and disrespectful. You may want to tell this person that you need some space and that you will be taking a step away from your phone or e-mail. Find a happy medium where you feel respected and the other person also feels respected and getting his or her needs met. Compromise allows both people to find common ground in a situation. Compromise is especially important when you are dealing with a person that plays a major role in your life such as a romantic partner or family member. Communicate your needs clearly, and allow the other person to communicate needs clearly. Once you both reach a place of understanding, create compromises that can benefit both of you. Perhaps you don't like speaking on the phone, but it means a lot to your grandmother. You may compromise from daily phone calls to twice a week.
A: Limit your contact. Avoid getting pulled in. Be honest. Be nice. Compromise.

Q: Although the ability to say "No" is essential for anything threatening your safety, erring on the side of saying "yes" may be an excellent way to become more open to new experiences. Try saying yes to all the invitations you receive this week and all the projects you are offered. That said, do this within reason or else it may backfire and you may become closed off again. Keep in mind that you don't want to take on so many new things that you feel overwhelmed. You may want to ramp things up by initially saying "yes" to a few things you would normally say no to and then saying "yes" to even more than that as you get used to being busier. Try avoid saying "I don't know" in response to questions because it may appear that you are uninterested in the conversation and don't want to get it any thought. Instead, if someone asks you a question and you don't have an immediate response, you might say "Hmm, that's interesting and I'm going to have to think for a second about my answer but I will definitely get back to you." " Instead of choosing the things that you want to do before you die though, choose 10 things that you have wanted to do for a while but have not because of your being closed off. Typically, bucket list items are experiences that you will never forget; things that will make you happier. Write your list down and mark your plans on a calendar so you do not forget. Give yourself three months to complete your list. If you can't think of anything you want to do, you might try finding a list of 10 great places to eat or visit in your area. Complete these things and see how you feel after! Another way to explore what you might like to do in the future is to think back on things you used to enjoy doing. Or, you might try looking up attractions in your city and seeing if anything sounds exciting to you. See all there is to see that you think might excite you. Sign up for tours, bus rides or attend events. Few people have opened up to all the possibilities in their region. Also look around to neighboring cities or states and plan mini adventures. Many places have guide books you can find online or in stores; these can be good resources for you to help plan your adventure of openness. Learning will open new creative pathways and help you see new possibilities in your life. Try looking for a professional or personal class at the Lifelong Learning Center or library in your town. Also keep in mind that you should be open to other people when you take a class, as this can be a great way to meet new friends or romantic partners. If it's been a while since you took some time away, you may have forgotten how exhilarating new experiences can be. Take at least five days off to explore a new area. Go out into nature and experience a sense of awe and wonder at the grandness of it all. Feeling awe can lessen your thoughts on your self, which may help you be less self-conscious and more open. Get out of your same old habits and routines and add some new spark to your life. You can do this in minor ways such as by changing the time of day you exercise, or not going to the same coffee shop that you always do, or by getting up earlier or commuting a different way. Have the friend pick some new classes or experiences to try to you do the same. Or, tell your romantic partner that you want to become more open to new experiences and ask her to help you do this. Create a financial plan together and save some money to go on an adventure. This can make your life and your relationship more exciting while making you more open, not to mention that a vacation can help reduce stress.
A:
Try saying "Yes" as a rule. Make a "bucket list. Pretend you're a tourist in your hometown. Sign up for a class. Go on vacation. Change your schedule. Find a friend that also wants to engage in new experiences.