Sometimes, one o’ the hardest things is to be nice to someone you just can’t get your groove on with. I don’t mean that in a weird way; I’m talking about people who just don’t click, you can’t connect with or just generally rub you up the wrong way.
And you know what, that’s okay. You don’t have to like everybody and they don’t have to like you.
One thing you can do, is stay focused on what you want to achieve. In an ideal world, you probably wouldn’t have anything to do with them. But reality is, you probably have to find your way through the moment so let’s see how you can leave a little sparkle, even when it’s a bit tricky:
1) Smile – it might not be easy, but smiling can have positive results. As the saying goes, “a smile is the same in every language”. If it’s too difficult to smile, don’t force it (they’ll see through it) but equally see if you can dig deep – the person you’re in a tight spot with might be feeling as uncomfortable as you are and a smile might break the ice.
2) Keep breathing – when people are stressed, they tend to hold their breath. Make sure that even if the conversation gets difficult, you remember to breathe. Stay mindful of your breath and keep it slow and measured. It should help you feel less flustered and more calm.
3) Put some space between you – I call this positive space. Ask for a five minute break or, if the conversation really has headed south, ask if you can recall the meeting or discussion at a later date. Don’t be afraid to put distance between you and someone else if staying in the same space is creating a problem. If needs be, agree what you want to achieve when you do come together again and see if you can find helpful ways to work through the problem in the meantime. If not, ask for a third party to get involved to help you mediate.
In the meantime, never let anyone dull your sparkle.
© Delphi Ellis | Helping You Sparkle™ 2015
Helping You Sparkle™ 