”Well, I could hardly wait to call you to tell you that my daughter Kate had a class at school in Civility this week. It referred to last August being National Win with Civility Month.” Dolores was talking with her brother Robert. She often discussed problems that arose in the retirement living community where she worked.  He enjoyed giving his little sister advice. “Someone must have overheard our conversation last week.”  She laughed.

He responded by asking, “Did you tell her that we talked about this?” Dolores thought about that for a moment before saying, “I haven’t had a chance yet, but it is on my list. Maybe it is better for us to discuss it after it settles in her mind. Then we can compare notes. I want to know what this instructor brought to the surface.”

“Great,” Robert said. “I’m curious and want to hear what she learned.”

Just the previous week Dolores told her brother about a newly hired food server in her community. He supposedly had several years’ experience. For a newcomer stepping into an established situation, he was rude and loud like he was trying to get everyone’s attention. The little she witnessed of his interaction with the residents revealed a man who spoke condescendingly to them. That was a big no-no in her style. She was hoping to see positive results after his training session and then the employee group discussion that followed. Hopefully he would get the message and not be let go because of behavior attitudes.

Dolores was conscious of the freshen-up training she received a year ago. They practiced conversations with omitting words that offend others that we may unintentionally use and how to apologize if we happen to do just that. A simple, “I’m sorry for what I did, it was wrong, let me make it right” was perfect. She enjoyed learning that they all need to be courteous to coworkers, too. Civility and courtesy were not for residents only. That training session seemed to help most of her coworkers who worked more like a team than before.

Kind Dining♥ training emphasizes the importance of civility and courtesy in everyday surroundings that will carry over to a person’s interactions in personal life. This conscious decision to show civility creates a positive attitude for one’s self that leads to a better life for all who participate. No one is born with these skills but they can easily be learned with training and practice. Many people aren’t even aware that what they consider teasing is most often being rude. Many comments intended as jokes to make others laugh are truly being cruel to someone. Fortunately, bringing these thoughts into discussion sessions gives a new outlook on one’s conscious behavior. It is another step in improving your life.

B♥ Kind Tip: Practice is what it takes.