Don't Be Rude

Don’t be rude, especially during the holiday season.

Think back to a time when you encountered an unpleasant experience while checking out of a grocery store, the mall, bank, while driving, etc. Now think (hopefully hard) if there was a time when you gave somebody an unpleasant experience. Can you remember? Now, let’s be frank with one another, especially since you are reading this and it’s not like I can feed off your body language. So, you can’t lie and there is no need to lie. It’s time to confess and admit that you have possibly been rude in the past. Now, accept that it happened, and I ask…can you achieve control over it?

I can pinpoint a few scenarios when I was rude and why, really, I shouldn’t have been. I can own up to that because I want to improve my awareness so I don’t become rude more often AND have a known identity as being rude. Would you want to have your identity to be picked as being rude? I think not – I hope not.

Here are some reminders on how to keep your cool, learn your push points and make changes to a situation if you find yourself being rude.

1. Job Frustration: Whether you love your job or not, we spend most of our lives working and in our offices. Five times a week and on average, seven hours a day. You can do the math; it’s quite a bit of hours to test your rudeness. There are countless ways we can be rude, but I want to focus on the general attitude while on the job…job frustration. Do you find yourself being rude to colleagues, customers in person or on the phone? Is it often? Take some time to think about it because if you find that you’re being rude, what is the reason? Are you unhappy with your current job? Are you simply burnt out, stressed out, unmotivated, discouraged? Figure it out, track when you find yourself being rude, and fix it. It’s not fair to the receiver because they cannot read your mind and make you happy.

2. Opening a Gift: Yes, we all have most likely received a generous gift and did not pay attention to our reaction. A crinkle in our facial expression, an “oh”, or any comment we may not have controlled. Whether it’s a holiday, your birthday, get well, or a congratulations gift, you better be thankful. That person went out of the way to think of you and if it’s not something you like, would use, or have it already, still express your appreciation. There is no ifs, ands or buts on this. Don’t be rude.

3. Behind the Wheel: I can’t express this one enough! I’ve been in the car for a MINIMUM of two hours a day, seven days a week. Yes, EVERY DAY since I moved to P.A.. and my office is in N.J. and I bartend in N.J. on the weekends. I have driven at all hours of the day and night. I am extremely happy to announce that I will no longer be bartending and am moving my office to P.A. – so I’m excited! But that’s not the point. Please don’t be rude while behind the wheel. Don’t high beam, don’t be that car to cut that cuts other cars off, don’t steal their parking spot, and don’t tailgate to push them over to the next lane. Don’t be a BULLY on the road!!!

4. Holding the Door: What’s your rush that you can’t hold the door for another human being as they are entering or leaving? Make the attempt and SMILE. :)

5. Holiday Season Shopping: We all love the holiday, but it seems to always bring out the worst in us at times. Cutting the line, stealing the last gift, stealing someone’s parking spot when they’ve been sitting there with their blinker on, fighting over a cart, yelling at the cashier that it’s on sale, and many more! Ha-ha! I’m envisioning the craziness now! So, slow down, be patient and kind. Listen to Natalie Merchant sing Kind and Generous. ;)

6. Retail: First, if you happen to be in retail or any type of customer service being such as a waitress, cashier, hostess, etc., it doesn’t benefit you to be rude, right? Especially if you are working for tips to save and reach your goals. This goes both ways… if you are the customer, do not be rude to your cashier, your waitress, bartender, etc. Do not judge them because they are “serving” you. You have no clue what their situation is, their dreams, or their goals. Let’s work together to support one another.

So….
* Smile as much as you can; it really is contagious!
* If somebody is being rude to you, kill them with kindness… if they are really bad, I typically call them out on it. ;) In a nice way though!
* Hold the door for another human being.
* Drive safe and shop safe.
* Tip your servers at least 18%
* Don’t judge anybody!

Now go and get your Identity in check!