Etiquette
How to deal with rudeness elegantly
The importance of dealing with rudeness elegantly
Elegance is not a word that is widely used nowadays- or even popular. To many, elegance contrasts with the feminist ideals many women conform to today. We live in a society where traits such as kindness, tact and being feminine is associated with the woman of yesterday-the ideal housewife who was viewed as the subordinate within the family setting. It is associated with a weak woman without an opinion. This, however, is far from the truth.
Whether we are in the workplace, among friends or in the general public, being elegant is not limited to looks. Elegance is a quality that we always want people to associate us with. This can prove to be quite challenging when we find ourselves in awkward and challenging situations. It is easier to retaliate in kind when we feel disrespected or backed against the wall. However, it takes more strength and poise to react in the opposite way. Read on to see how to deal with rude people whilst maintaining composure and elegance.
Don’t be hasty to respond elegantly
Sometimes when we feel we are being disrespected; we want to defend ourselves. We also want to respond in a way that gives the impression that we are not one to be walked over. This is understandable. However, it is essential that we never stoop lower than we already stand. Oftentimes, when we fail to respond as expected, we put the aggressor in a corner and they often end up feeling small. This is not how to deal with situations elegantly.
Stay Calm
No response is better than a rude one.
Talk in turns
There is nothing more irritating and inelegant than speaking over another person. Not only are issues not solved this way, it often exacerbates problems and increases tension. Always speak once the other person has finished speaking as engaging in unconstructive arguments is never a classy thing to do.
Refrain from associating with argumentative people
These kinds of people have their own insecurities which they are taking out on you. It is best not to entertain such arguments and if you do, ensure that your responses are constructive otherwise you could simply end up wasting your time.
3 Comments
SUSAN
You are amazing.
Many Thanks and gratitude bestowed on you
Keep Blessing the world ,we need more people like you in many countries.
Happy Healthy Easter ,
Susan
Valerie
Om goodness, thank you for this article. It’s just what I needed to hear. A female leader at my church was so rude and disrespectful to me a couple weeks ago that I dreaded going back. At the time I didn’t react but inside I was seething. I resolved to “put her in her place” on the next opportunity, but even that didn’t seem right. I don’t want to leave people feeling “yucky” after an encounter with me regardless because I never know what’s really going on. I am now content with my reaction.
Lilian Philemon
It’s not easy to just watch a person disrespect you and just be quiet. But I need to remain elegant and respect my self, so I will work with this. Thank you.