Still More On Being Respectful

I often check the StatCounter.com results for my blog to discover what topics bring people to The Some Assembly Required Blog.

Interestingly, one of the most popular Google Searches that yields traffic is "being respectful of others". When you search this term, my blog post from April 2007 titled "On Being More Respectful" is the #1 site that pops up. This always makes me ponder what causes people the need to search for this concept. Is it that difficult to understand?

However, as I go about life I regularly encounter people who have no concept of how to properly treat other people. These baboons seem to act as if they are the Kings and Queens of the planet; entitled to belittle and take advantage of anyone who they choose.

If you have found this post because you are questioning how to be more respectful, the first thing is to call you parents and demand a full refund. This stuff should be taught early. However it is apparent that many miss this lesson. While at breakfast yesterday at a local IHOP a little girl of about three-year-old approached my daughter and tried to take a piece of her gum. The mother chastised the kid by telling her it was not appropriate to just take things from a stranger, but instead she should ask for a piece. WHAT? My kid was polite and gave the toddler a stick of Orbitz, but is it really appropriate to teach your child to approach strangers in a restaurant and ask for their personal stuff? YIKES. But it takes all kinds.

This type of entitlement is what makes it hard for folks to be respectful. You have to honor others (and their stuff) in order to act in a respectful manner.

This is not be difficult. Here are a few tips that can help anyone (even those who already know about being respectful) to treat others in the correct way:

1. Don't be jealous. Celebrate the success of others rather than coveting their victories. Just because someone else achieves something, it does not mean you lose. Create your own wins, don't worry yourself other theirs.

2. Do not argue over everything. Sometimes people have a need to be right at all cost and they will harass friends, family and everyone over facts and fiction. Those who are overly passionate about politics are often this way. They are so sure that their candidate or position is "best" that they cannot see the other person's point of view. Look at how you talk about such issues, and this will give you a good handle on how you treat others when in a debate. If you need to prove you are right, even if it offends people, then you might be the folks who are Googling "how to treat people with respect". You don't ALWAYS need to show up the next guy!

3. Show appreciation. All opportunities come from people. If you really think about what is good in your life, you can trace it back to somebody giving you a chance. Reach out to those people who impact you life (now or in the past) and say "thank you". When you make it a habit to give credit to others for your success, you will find you are more humble, and thus...more respectful. It is hard not to be respectful when you know you can't make it by yourself!

4. Be consistent. Do not let your busy schedule or a looming deadline allow you to justify treating others poorly. Always treat people with respect no matter what is going on, and it becomes easy. Too many in our busy society look at stress as an acceptable excuse for being a jerk. Nope, no excuses.

5. Laugh at yourself. We all make mistakes and everyone has quirks. Do not create self imposed standards of perfection or you will never get there. Those who are perfectionists have little tolerance for others and often blame those around them for all sorts of things. Best to be honest about your own short-comings and to laugh about them. Admitting your own faults usually makes you less judgmental about others.

Have A Great Day.

thom