Keep in mind that it could be the person’s behavior that day, and not the person themselves, that’s causing them to be cranky to you. If you know the person, and are aware that they are not a bad person, consider it situational. Based on the scenario, quickly consider their side of the argument. Is it possible their point is valid as well? Oppositely, if you know this rude person well and this is just how they seem to act every single day, it might be a larger issue for the two of you to work on. We’ll get to that!
4. Consider What The Other Person Might Be Going Through
Sometimes people are rude for a reason other than the exact situation at hand. Maybe they have a parent who’s sick in the hospital, or are currently unable to pay any of their bills, or are going through a nasty divorce. These are all things you might be completely unaware of, but could be eating them up inside, thus their rude behavior. My mom used to tell me, “put yourself in the other person’s shoes” — and this is exactly what she was referring to. Practice empathy here, where possible. Even my man Dr. Phil agrees that it’s extremely important to have empathy when dealing with rude people.
5. Take A Moment To Choose The Right Approach
Take a moment or two to stop and think about the consequences and if it’s worth a dispute. According to WebMD, when dealing with a difficult person, it’s a good rule of thumb to talk things over only if it’s someone you’re close to. Otherwise — if it’s someone you rarely see, or especially someone you might not ever see again, there’s simply no need to pick the situation apart together. Rather, be as kind as possible to them, and move on. If this is someone close to you, though, let’s talk about what the conversation could look like…
6. If You’re Going To Talk It Out, Do So Mindfully
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