In life you will meet many people. People with more education than you, with less education than you. People who make a lot more money than you. People who make a lesser amount of money than you do. People you want to impress, and people you don't actually care to impress at all. Some of these people can be quite intimidating. Whether you are as cool as a cucumber or wound up like a Swiss clock, there will always be people in life that make you feel uncomfortable.
Recently, I got to spend some time with three of my maternal great-aunts. Strong, classy women who I really enjoy seeing when I can get them all together. We sit around and talk, and talk, and talk, and talk about everything from politics, to what's going on in our lives and in between. During the course of our many conversations, we began talking about situations where the people you encounter have the ability—whether they know it or not—to make you uncomfortable. My aunt talked about how a relative of her's met his girlfriend's parents and they were wealthy. He having come from a upper middle class family, didn't feel uncomfortable, but remembered a time in his life where he definitely would have. After hearing the story, I spoke about how my boyfriend's mother sometimes makes me uncomfortable, first-and-foremost because she is the beloved mother of my boyfriend, secondly, because she is a strong-willed woman, and thirdly, because she is an A.P. Literature teacher and State Champion-winning cheer coach. I just simply said that sometimes I felt uncomfortable and inferior to her, and that was when my Aunt Lucille piped up and gave me some of the best wisdom I think I've ever heard. She said that I will encounter many people in my life that will make me feel uncomfortable, but as long as you have these four things, you will never have a reason to feel uncomfortable or believe that you are inferior ever again.
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1. Good Hygiene
Have you ever heard the expression if you are clean, you look clean? Hygiene is very important to people. This goes above just washing your hair and brushing your teeth. You must have the knowledge to properly maintain yourself inside and out. People will become more accustomed to you if you smell nice and look like you actually washed your hair—instead of just dousing it in dry shampoo.
2. Manners
This is a concept that I feel, and most people in generations before mine feel, is lost. When meeting anyone, you must know the simple social constructions of manners. People are more receptive to others who understand manners and understand how to properly act and carry themselves in all senses of social situations, whether it be in the workplace or at a dinner party. Don't slurp your food or drink, always cross your legs at the ankles when wearing a skirt or dress and don't burp loudly. Always say 'excuse me,' and be sure to say 'please' and 'thank you,' and 'yes sir/no sir,' 'yes ma'am, no ma'am.' Sound familiar? Maybe your parents weren't being so hard on you after all.
3. The Knowledge of How to Dress
This, like all the other points, is something that doesn't always come natural to some, but can be learned. To succeed in life, you need to know how to dress appropriately for your age, for your job, for your lifestyle, etc. Yes boys, knowing how to actually tie your own tie is a very valuable skill. Knowing how to dress for an interview is key, and might just land you the job (hint: always dress one step above the job you are applying for). Sometimes your dress is the first impression people develop of you, before they even meet you. We've all been guilty of judging someone for not dressing correctly or appropriately for the situation they are in.
4. The Ability to Be Yourself
This is one of those things that you can't learn. It has to come naturally. Unless you are just an awful person, everyone will love you for the real you, or you find someone who is just as much of a jerk as yourself and admires your harsh sarcasm and pessimistic attitude. As long as you're as genuinely yourself, you will never feel the need to pretend to be someone else, and in turn, should never feel uncomfortable or inferior. So be yourself, just like all those Pinterest quotes told you to.
You should never feel uncomfortable or inferior to anyone. You are you and that is truer than true (thanks, Dr. Seuss). Most of us have probably never realized we have always possessed the tools we needed to be comfortable in all types of situations with all types of different people. Take these tools that you don't have to pay for, work for, or read about (other than in this article) and use this and expound upon them to reach your full potential.
