Are you happy when someone ignores you? Do you like rude people?

Of course not, nobody likes bad manners.

Yet these days, it’s rare to see people using good manners. There is a direct correlation between simple manners and creating your own positive experience but this does not seem to be understood by the masses. My entire adult life, I have observed how people communicate with one another and I’ve noticed that most people do not consider the impact that their words or actions will have on other people.

Recently, I was in line at a bakery which is what sparked me to write this article. The person in front of me forgot to bring their manners and the only thing they said to the clerk was “Gimme the blueberry scone!” That was the ONLY thing they said, not even a thank you at the end of the transaction. As soon as that first command was made, I could clearly see the clerks entire energy had shifted and a wall went up. Now I had more work ahead of me to get the clerks wall back down….

Its takes no longer to say “May I please have the (fill in the blank)” versus “Gimme the (fill in the blank).” Ok, well I fabricated a little. It does take one second longer to be polite. Maybe two or three seconds longer to continue to be polite by smiling and saying thank you. But wow, when you do see someone who is consistently using good manners, you can’t help but notice them and the increased energy of the people they encounter. Good manners can be contagious. When you’re nice to someone, they’re more likely to be nice back to you. Two people then walk away feeling good about themselves and each other and that good energy spreads to others. Most of us were taught manners by our parents; all we need to do is implement them in our daily lives and observe their effects.

If you really want to live a connected life where great things just happen to you, take the manners concept one step further and ask those who are waiting on you how they are doing. Every single human being has a story to tell and we all just want to be heard. This may tack on an extra two minutes in your day but you never know what you can learn by opening yourself up and listening to someone who walks in different shoes. And don’t just be “that guy” who is asking how someone is doing just so you can respond or one-up them. Be genuine because you can’t fake out the universe. Remember, how you treat people is an indicator of how you expect people to treat you. If you really just don’t care how another person is doing, at least make eye contact and use “please” and “thank you” to ensure that no one spits in your burger!

About Charles Perry

Charles is a bit of a renaissance man, a citizen of the planet, a building inspector by trade, devoted father & husband and one of the funniest people he knows. He is deeply passionate about peace, social justice and respect and equality for all living creatures. Charles thought up the World Minded ideology several years ago and has made it his goal to inspire people around the world to care for themselves, others and the planet we share by exposing what’s right in the world. He resides in the Eastern Sierras and loves life in the mountains, but longs for the beach because of some ridiculous “grass is always greener” notion.

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