Dear Jacquelyn,

How should you handle a situation when you feel someone is being rude to you?

Dear Reader,

While many people with whom you will interact on a daily basis will be friendly and polite, it is not uncommon to come across rude people, too, from time to time.

Don’t assume the worst. It can be tempting to defend ourselves and argue. Unfortunately, that rarely solves anything and often makes it worse.

The best thing that you can do is to remain calm, since falling into the trap of becoming equally rude will not help anyone. That being said, it is not always easy to do the right thing when you come across rude people in your day-to-day life.

There is a positive approach you can take the next time you interact with someone who is disrespectful or rude to you. Try to give people the benefit of the doubt, even if they are disrespectful toward you.

In doing so, you are more likely to remain calm and kind. That kind of attitude may even rub off on the rude individual, and make their day a bit brighter.

Always choose kindness and compassion over disrespect and rudeness, no matter how a person may be treating you. Instead of letting their bad attitude change the way you act, let your positive attitude change the way they are acting.

Staying cool is the best way to make a point, and perhaps your good manners will be contagious.

Respectfully Yours,

Jacquelyn

Have a question? Email: jacquelyn@ptd.net. Jacquelyn Youst is owner of the Pennsylvania Academy of Protocol, specializing in etiquette training.

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