Getting Along With Others - 10 Things To Stop Doing Today

Increase your likeability and get along better with others.

Whether you are attending a networking event, communicating with co-workers, your friends, your family or anyone, it's so important to approach them with an attitude of kindness. Remember that every time we interact with others, we have a chance to build the relationship or harm it.

It is sort of like playing The Sims. If you've never had the chance to play the game, it is basically a virtual world where the character you create gets to do all the things that you do to further their life goals. They work, get paid, have to wake up early to shower and eat breakfast so they won't miss their ride to work or have a bad attitude at work because they are starving and dirty. Anyway, in the game, people get ahead by making friends. The more they network, the more success they have finding a job and getting promotions. Each time your Sim character talks to other people in their world, a little plus sign or negative sign pops up over their head. As you earn points, your friendships progress from acquaintance, to friend, to best friend, to love. Or, if you character isn't particularly nice, the negative points can create an enemy.

The goal in the game, and in life, is to interact with others in a way that creates plus points to your relationship status. If you are struggling in this area, here are 10 things you should stop doing today:

Stop complaining - No one likes to hear this. If you are unhappy about something, look for a solution.

Stop expecting others to read your mind - This one is hard, but people can't know what you aren't saying. Try communicating your feelings, your intentions and your thoughts.

Stop thinking it's all about you - The world doesn't revolve around us and people do things all the time that don't have anything to do with you. Take a moment to recognize this.

Stop lying - Lying is wrong, but I'm talking about the little lies. Just stop. Take responsibility. Admit you messed up instead of finding something or someone to blame. If you don't own up to your actions, they will start to own you.

Stop doubting - If you think you can't do something, you're probably right. Letting self-doubt ruin your dreams is bad enough, but most of us allow ours to ruin other people's dreams as well. Don't discourage people who see the possibilities.

Stop judging - Every single living thing on our planet wants the same basic things you want. They want to be happy and they don't want to suffer. We are all on our own paths, battling our own demons. They don't know what you are dealing with and you don't know what they struggle with. This makes it impossible to judge their actions.

Stop breaking promises - It's always better to promise less and deliver more. Constantly breaking promises because you were overly optimistic is just as unreliable as someone who makes promises and just doesn't care about breaking them. The end result is the same.

Stop expecting other to be perfect - You aren't perfect, so don't expect others to be. We all make mistakes, have compassion for others and give them the grace to be just as human as you are.

Stop borrowing drama - Don't get involved with other people's drama and don't try to drag them into yours. It only serves to create more negativity and cause bad feelings in everyone involved.

Stop trying to be everything to everyone - You'll never accomplish this task, so don't even try. Instead, look for ways to help others and make a difference in their day.

This list is in no way complete, and I am just as guilty of doing these things as anyone else. But, I'm trying to be a better person everyday and I realize that my relationships with the people closest to me are important and they take effort. I'm working on this list, and I hope that there are some things that might resonate with you as well.

What other things do you think we should stop doing? I would love to hear your thoughts in the comments.

 

By Melissa Kennedy- Melissa is a 9 year blog veteran and a freelance writer for Administrativejobsblog and Nexxt. Along with helping others find the job of their dreams, she enjoys computer geekery, raising a teenager, supporting her local library, writing about herself in the third person and working on her next novel.