Life Advice

Emotional Hardbody answers: Coworker's copycat behavior not taken as a compliment

Editor's note: For the second installment of Christina Pesoli's new advice column, Emotional Hardbody takes on copycat behavior in the workplace. It's time to get creative.

Dear Emotional Hardbody,

There’s this coworker of mine who keeps copying me in this one way: Every time I change purses, within a day or two she shows up to work with a purse that is remarkably similar, if not identical, to the one I'm carrying.

They say that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. But I don’t feel flattered, I just feel annoyed.

Any suggestions on how to handle this?

Signed,

Annoyed

Dear Annoyed,

First things first: Whatever you do, don’t rent the movie Single White Female.

In all seriousness, I can tote-ally understand why you are not flattered. Your coworker’s behavior is creepy enough to get to you, but not creepy enough to warrant a chat with your HR representative.

But not to worry, I can coach you through this. Follow my advice and the solution to your problem is in the bag. Go buy a plain tote bag at Target and get some fabric paint from Hobby Lobby. Then customize your tote bag with the following message: “Stop copying me!”

Once Copy Kate Spade spots you with that purse, I’m Prada sure she’ll stop clutching onto your style and find her own instead.

If that doesn’t work, you could try going in the complete opposite direction and stop carrying a purse at all for a while.

The bottom line is this: There are many creative ways you can attempt to get your coworker to stop copying you, while having a little fun in the process. But, at the end of the day, if she persists, you’re going to have to put her behavior in the same category where I put tie-dyed clothing: It’s one of life’s little annoyances that you sometimes encounter but can’t really do anything about.

Purse-onally yours,

Emotional Hardbody

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Outpacing the competition

Dallas suburb flexes as No. 1 fittest city in Texas for 2026

Photo courtesy of City of Plano

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The people of Plano deserve to take a victory lap: The Dallas-Fort Worth suburb has been crowned the fittest city in Texas for 2026.

This year’s American Fitness Index puts Plano at No. 12 among the country’s 100 most populated cities, up from 14th place last year, and at No. 1 in Texas, the same spot as last year. Plano ranks 10th in the personal health category and 30th in the community and environment category.

The index shows 86 percent of Plano residents had exercised in the previous month, 67 percent had met aerobic activity guidelines, and 37 percent had met aerobic and strength activity guidelines. All three of those numbers are above the 100-city averages.

The Elevance Health Foundation and the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) produce the annual index, which they say combines measures of personal health behavior, chronic disease outcomes, community infrastructure and environmental factors “to provide a comprehensive picture of how well cities promote fitness and well-being.”

Arlington, Virginia, tops the index, followed by Washington, D.C.; Minneapolis; Seattle; and Denver.

“The cities that consistently rank at the top aren’t succeeding because of one program or one investment,” Stella Volpe, past president of ACSM and chair of the Fitness Index Advisory Board, says in a press release. “They’ve built systems that support healthier living over time. They are the ones creating environments where physical activity can easily become a part of everyday routines.”

In Plano’s case, the highly rated park system contributes to the city’s healthy environment. In May, Plano landed at No. 1 in Texas and 13th in the U.S. in the annual ParkScore Index. Plano’s No. 13 ranking marked an all-time high for the city.

Every year, land conservation nonprofit The Trust for Public Land rates park systems in the 100 biggest American cities on accessibility, equity, acreage, investment, and amenities.

Here’s how other DFW cities in the American Fitness Index:

Frisco ranks 32nd (making its index debut).
Dallas ranks 43rd, up from 46th last year.
Fort Worth ranks 69th, up from 80th last year.
Garland ranks 72nd, up from 75th last year.
Arlington ranks 78th, up from 83rd last year.
Irving ranks 86th, down from 84th last year.

Among other Texas cities appearing in the American Fitness index are:

No. 28 Austin, down from No. 21 last year.
No. 44 Houston, up from No. 49 last year.
No. 80 San Antonio, up from No. 94 last year.

“Where you live increasingly determines how healthy you are,” Volpe says. “The healthiest cities don’t just encourage exercise — they make movement part of daily life through infrastructure, transportation, and community design.”

fittest city plano rankings health