Some people are like garbage trucks

Have you experienced having your day ruined because of rude people you've met? Here’s a story that will teach you how to handle rude people.

"One day, I hopped into a taxi and took off  for the airport. We were driving in the right lane when suddenly, a black car jumped out of a parking space right in front of us. My taxi driver slammed the brakes, skidded, and missed the other car by just inches. The driver of the other car whipped his head around and started yelling at us. My taxi driver just smiled and waved at the guy. I mean, he was really friendly. So I asked, 'Why did you just do that? This guy almost ruined your car and sent us to the hospital.' This is when my taxi driver taught me what I now call, “The Law of the Garbage Truck.”

"He explained, 'Many people are like garbage trucks.  They run around full of garbage, full of frustration, full of anger, and full of disappointment. As their garbage piles up, they need a place to dump it and sometimes they’ll dump it on you. Never take it personally. Just smile, wave, wish them well, and move on with the routine of life. Don’t take their garbage and spread it  to other people at work, at home or elsewhere. The bottom line is that successful people do not let garbage trucks take over their day.  Love the people who treat you well. Pray for the one’s who don’t.  Life is 10 percent what you make and 90 percent how you take.”

In most cases, many of us don’t have the patience  for rude people. When they treat us badly, we do the same thing. But this story is worthwhile emulating because some people have a rough sailing in their lives and treating them well is an act of kindness which is good for our soul. This might be a tall order, but we can try.

There are some ways on how to deal with rude people as suggested by www.lifehack.org. Here they are:

Remember, sometimes the rude person is you. Maybe not today, but there’ve been times when you were rude. And you’re not  a bad person. So next time somebody’s rude to you,  remember that they’re human just like you, and rudeness alone doesn’t mean they’re bad person either.

Don’t take it personally. When someone’s rude — especially if they’re making personal comments about you  –- it’s easy to get upset. But you have a choice about how you react. Take the power out of their rudeness by choosing to treat it as their problem, not your problem.

Find out why. People have their own reasons for being rude. Perhaps they’ve had a bad day, or they’re in a hurry and think there isn’t time for manners. Perhaps they don’t even realize how rude they’ve been. You won’t know until you ask! Stay calm and simply say, “I think that’s pretty rude. Why are you treating me like this?”  The answer may surprise you.

Don’t join the drama club. Do you feel like yelling at the rude people around you? Don’t. Joining in the drama will only escalate the situation. Whether you’re dealing with a drama queen who’s doing it on purpose, or an inconsiderate oaf whose rudeness is unintentional, keep your dignity intact by not letting rude behavior provoke you into a  tantrum of your own.

[email protected].