Today, I had a situation arise where one of my volunteers was angry. She didn't like the situation she had to deal with... so she became nasty and started yelling. At me and everyone around me.
Do you want your legacy to be that you were a jerk? (Plain and simple!) Out of all the things you do in your life, people will remember the most how you treated fellow human beings.
Secondly, life is too short to be nasty person. Do you really want to look back on your life and only remember treating people badly? Most likely not.
Now those of you that know me... know how much I love nasty people. Not.At. All. I will never ever understand how people can be so mean. So, in the face of adversity, I chose to take the high road. In the scheme of all that is real, is it really worth it to get upset with trivial things? Nope.
Now don't get me wrong, I had a few choice words for her... in my head. (And MAYBE out loud to my closest friends....) However, I kept smiling and killed her with kindness. I'm sure it drove her completely insane, but... who knows. She may have gone home a little happier than when she drove into the parking lot and almost ran me over with her car. (Ok... Yes, I'm exaggerating.)
I don't care what people say.. it pays to be nice.
Now I’m no angel. Sometimes I do things that I’m not so proud of. For instance, I get frustrated with "customer service" and sometimes take it out on the person on the other line who has nothing to do with my problem. They’re just doing their job, directing me to someone else who can help me (so they say), but then I get redirected and redirected over and over again, and before you know it, I find myself upset with someone who did nothing wrong.
I realize that this might make some people think you aren’t being genuinely nice if one does it hoping to gain something from the experience. However, the way I see it, everyone wins in this scenario. Studies have shown that it pays to be nice and that greater rewards come out of treating people well.
However, if you can’t bring yourself to be nice for the sake of the other parties involved think of these reasons:
I realize that this might make some people think you aren’t being genuinely nice if one does it hoping to gain something from the experience. However, the way I see it, everyone wins in this scenario. Studies have shown that it pays to be nice and that greater rewards come out of treating people well.
However, if you can’t bring yourself to be nice for the sake of the other parties involved think of these reasons:
Do you want your legacy to be that you were a jerk? (Plain and simple!) Out of all the things you do in your life, people will remember the most how you treated fellow human beings.
Secondly, life is too short to be nasty person. Do you really want to look back on your life and only remember treating people badly? Most likely not.
In the end, even those who treat you like you wouldn’t want to be treated MAY just change their tune if you send a little sunshine in their direction. So smile. And just be nice. :)
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