My Three P's to Interacting With Strangers!!

Some of the most frequent interactions we have with people are conversations with complete strangers. I mean think about it - the grocery store checker, the restaurant host, the Starbucks cashier, the sales associate - we are CONSTANTLY talking with different people we don't know.

One of my biggest pet peeves in the world is when people are completely rude to strangers. It drives me nuts!!! And I can say this is something I witness all the time as I stand in line at my local Starbucks. And this is also something I endure all the time through my current experience working as a restaurant hostess and my past experience working in retail.

People can be so blatantly mean, impatient, and disrespectful to strangers for almost no reason! I think the reason people justify this kind of behavior is through the thought process that they won't have to see this stranger or face them again, so it doesn't really matter what they say. Along with this, people often have expectations of perfection.

We all have bad days, I get it. And sometimes we just don't feel like talking with others - believe me, I also get that. But being in a bad mood does not warrant rude behavior towards strangers who would have virtually no idea you are in a bad mood.

Patience. Politeness. Pleasantness.

I can truly say it genuinely makes my day better when I am ringing up a to-go order at the restaurant I work at and the person I am talking to actually gives me the time of day or thanks me after I give them the bag of the food. I appreciate the person who understands that we are not perfect, and sometimes mistakes are made in the process. I appreciate people who are patient when my hands are full and I need just a moment before I can help them.

We are all human, and life is a lot cooler when we treat each other that way.

Be nice to the strangers you meet and don't snap at the smallest mistakes. When we serve others and are kind, even to those we do not know, we are ultimately not only making them happier, but we are also increasing our own happiness.