Motivational speaker: HOW TO IGNORE SOMEONE ELSE

Ignoring someone can be tough, especially if you can't stop running into the person you're trying to avoid, or if that person keeps trying to talk to you and doesn't get the memo. But if you really want to ignore someone, you just have to look busy, change your routine, and cut off all contact with that person. If you want to know how to ignore someone, just follow these steps.

Don't make eye contact. Not making eye contact is the best way to ignore someone. Once you lock eyes, you're acknowledging that you know that person exists and are blowing your cover. If that person is near you, avoid his eyes at all costs by making sure to make eye contact with every person but him, looking straight ahead, or even looking at the floor.

If the person is shorter than you, then just stare right over his head. If the person's taller than you, make sure not to look up.
If the person is the exact same height as you and standing nearby, try blurring your vision so you have a "dead" look in your eyes if you do lock eyes by accident.

Walk quickly. Another way to ignore someone is to walk as quickly as possible. This will show that you're a busy person with places to go, and that you have no intention of lingering around to catch up with the person you're ignoring. Walk with your arms at your sides and your head held high, like you're staring ahead at your next goal, even if you're really not going anywhere special.

If you see that person approaching from a distance, leave enough space between you so you don't brush up against that person.
Don't go out of your way to walk away from that person. If you cross the street or duck into a hallway, that will make it look like you care too much. But if you see the person from a far distance and you're sure he doesn't see you, then you really should just try walking in the other direction.

Look "closed off." If you happen to be near the person, fold your arms over your chest, cross your legs, slouch, and do anything you need to do to look completely unapproachable. Your body should say, "Don't talk to me, buddy," and hopefully the person will get the message.

Don't smile, either. Keep a straight face, or even a frown, planted on your face to look like you don't want to talk to anyone.
You can also go for the creepy blank look on your face -- that will scare anyone off from trying to talk to you.
If you have longer hair, bangs, or a hat, try to keep part of your face covered to discourage the person from trying to make eye contact.

Keep your body busy. As an alternative to looking closed off, you can also just look really, really busy, like you couldn't possibly talk to that person because you have your hands full and don't have a second of time to spare for a silly conversation with him.

If you're with friends, turn toward them and gesture wildly, looking so animated that you couldn't possibly stop to talk to the person you're ignoring -- let alone to look at him.
If you're alone, look engrossed in a book, magazine, or a textbook. You can even quietly read the words to yourself, looking like you're intent on memorizing them.
Keep your hands full. Whether you're walking or sitting, hold your phone, textbooks, or even an unwieldy potted plant. This will discourage the person from trying to talk to you.

Use technology

Use your phone. Using your phone will also help you ignore almost anyone. There are a few things you can do to ignore someone with your phone. First, you can just use the phone to look busy whenever you see that person. Talk to someone else on the phone, laughing wildly, or look engrossed in an intense text-message exchange with someone you actually want to talk to.

Change your phone number so the person can't call or text you.
Block that person's number from your phone so you can't receive messages from him.
Set an alarm on your phone to ring when you know you're near that person, so you can pick it up and pretend to be talking to someone.

Play music. Invest in some headphones, and wear them at all times when you're alone, even if you're not listening to music. When you see that person, blast your music to deafening volumes and bounce your head to the beat, so you look completely absorbed in your tunes, with absolutely no time to waste on the person you're trying to ignore.

If you want to be really annoying, you can even close your eyes and sing along to the music, giving the person you're ignoring almost no chance to talk to you.

Ignore someone online. Ignoring someone online is even easier than ignoring him in person because you don't have to physically avoid him. To ignore someone online, just make sure to avoid any of that person's emails, Facebook posts or messages, Twitter feeds, or any other attempts to contact you online.

Block that person from any of your social networks. Make sure he has no way of reaching out to you online.
Change your email address and other usernames if you have to. That person should have no way of contacting you online.

Change your routine

Find a new walking route. If you want to ignore someone by changing your routine, the easiest thing to do is to change your walking route so you no longer bump into that person. If you always bump into that person between classes, take the long way to get to your next class so you don't have to see that person. If you always run into that person at work, start using a different hallway or bathroom to minimize contact.

If you always see that person when you're walking no matter where you go, start driving places.
If that person seems to have changed his walking routine to fit to yours, keep changing yours until that person gives up.

Avoid that person's favorite hangouts. This one is a no-brainer. If you know that person's favorite bars, restaurants, and parks, just don't go there anymore. It won't be worth it, unless you want to spend the whole time there actively ignoring that person.

You can also learn the days when that person goes out. If he only goes to his favorite restaurant on weekends, and you really want to go there, you can just go during the week.
If that person only goes to a certain bar during happy hour, just hang out there later at night.

Go places that person will never go. If that person is a meat lover, start checking out the vegetarian restaurants in your hood. If that person hates jazz, check out the latest jazz concert in your area. If he's mortal enemies with one of your friends, then that friend's parties are a great place to escape that person.