How can I keep information about myself private without seeming rude?
To keep information about yourself private without seeming rude, here's a rule that I invented I call 'The Thirty Day' rule. In 'The Thirty Day' rule, if someone in the workplace asks you a question, you can answer it by giving them an example of an event or a situation that happened thirty days from today or will happen thirty days from today. So if people ask me, "Phyllis how are you?" I'll say, "Great, my husband and I just got back from a four day conference in Las Vegas and we met so many interesting people." I didn't tell them anything about how I am. I could be tired, I could be discouraged, I could be depressed, I could be elated, but I didn't tell them anything about myself. Instead I gave them an example of an event or a situation that happened thirty days before or thirty days after. Again it happens with "Phyllis, how are you?" and I reply "I'm great, Codey and I, we planted a herb garden this weekend, we were so careful and we had such a great time choosing the herbs we wanted in the garden." Again I didn't tell those in the office anything about myself, keeping information about myself private without seeming rude.