Dealing with Others

One of the most difficult aspects of living a life is dealing with other people. At least I think it is for me.

We have all run into those people who think they know everything. No matter what the topic this person is an expert and has no hesitation about lecturing you on it. And you are supposed to sit there like a child and soak in their opinion with appreciation that they are spreading their knowledge. Never mind that many times the facts being stated are wrong therefore the opinions and advice are based on misinformation and are unreliable. But you can’t tell the person that since their mind is usually closed to information that contradicts what they think they know.

Have you ever dealt with those who profess to live a clean, morally correct life yet you know that he or she is spreading rumours and causing trouble for others? These people will many times blame outside sources for the mishaps in their lives and fail to see how their own actions have rebounded on them.

The whiners and/or complainers are another source of frustration for many of us. These are the souls who find fault with everything. Who cannot see what they do have in life and moan the fact that they don’t have everything they want or are not where they want to be.

If you are like me and are trying to keep a positive outlook on life the above-mentioned characters, as well as others, can wear on your resolve. You find yourself getting angry with those telling you what to do and the others can just bring a dark cloud over your day. It is difficult to remain upbeat and positive about that around you when you are being bombarded with negativity.

Avoiding these people is not always a solution. Most everyone has good qualities as well as bad and annoying ones. It may be difficult to find those qualities and/or to understand the reason for the offensive behaviour. In order to exist and prosper in this society as well as be a rounded individual, we need to associate with other people.

In most cases no one has the right to tell someone else what to do. Just as the know-it-all doesn’t have the right to tell us what we should be doing, thinking or feeling we do not have the right to tell them to adjust their behaviour. Maybe that person is actually suffering from feeling inferior for some reason and this is their way of gaining power. If we can just remember that the other person is trying to help and is probably dealing with their own issues then maybe we can feel a bit more open to the advice.

Those who are constantly telling us that what is wrong with life obviously have been disappointed. Granted many of us have not been overjoyed with some aspects of our life and we get past it but the whiners and such have fallen into the habit of focusing on the negative. They are unable to see what good there is in their lives and if you point out, they will downplay the good. There is nothing really we can do - or nothing I have figured out – besides let them blow off steam and then try to get back to your positive atmosphere. These kind, like the hypocrites I do try to stay away from. It is much easier that way.

I won’t like everyone I meet because everyone is so different. And that’s okay. It would be a pretty boring place if everyone had personalities and habits along the same lines. But just like I don’t like others trying to change me, I have no right to change others. Remember that we cannot control the actions and attitudes of others only how we react and who we are.

Do you have a solution for dealing with those who fall into one of these categories or another annoying one? If so please leave a comment and tell us. Or just leave a comment.

TAGS:motiviation, Karen Magill,life lessons,people,getting along,compassion,positive