Don't Be Rude

Don’t be rude, especially during holiday season.

Think back to a time where you’ve encounter 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 soemebody an unpleasant experience.  Can you remember on both of these occasions?  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 to control it?

I can pinpoint a few scenarios where and why I was rude and really, 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 change 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 of 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 are 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 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 expression your appreciate.  There is no if’s, and’s or butt’s 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 PA and my office is in NJ and I bartend in NJ 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 moving my office to PA, so I’m excited! But that’s not the point. Please don’t be that rude while behind the wheel. Don’t high beam unless your are cut off but don’t be that car to cut a car off, steal their parking spot, tailgate to push them over 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 cart, yelling at the cashier that it’s on sale, and many more! Ha-ha.. I’m envisioning the craziness now, and I don’t have kids!!!  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 like being 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 theiru situation is, their dreams, their goals. Let’s work together to support one another.

If you think I've missed any, please feel free to share :)

Have a GREAT Holiday!