Hajja Salesjana - Oct-Dec 2021

H AJJA S ALESJANA 17 Some practical social rules worth keeping in mind: 1. Don’t call someone more than twice continuously. If they don’t pick up your call, presume they have something important to attend to. 2. Return money that you have borrowed, even before the person that you borrowed it from remembers or asks for it. It shows your integrity and character. Same goes with umbrellas, pens and lunch boxes. 3. Never order the expensive dish on the menu when someone is giving you a lunch / dinner. 4. Don’t ask awkward questions like ‘Oh, so you aren’t married yet?’ Or ‘Don’t you have kids?’ or ‘Why didn’t you buy a house?’ Or ‘Why don't you buy a car?’ For God’s sake, it isn’t your problem. Just be prudent!. 5. Always open the door for the person coming behind you. It doesn’t matter if it is a man or a woman, older or younger than you. You don’t grow small by treating someone well in public. Treat others as you would want others to treat you. 6. If you take a taxi with a friend and he / she pays now, try paying next time. 7. Respect different shades of opinions. Remember what's 6 to you will appear 9 to someone facing you. Besides, second opinion is good for an alternative. 8. Never interrupt people talking. Allow them to pour it all out. As they say, hear them all and filter them all. 9. If you tease someone and they don’t seem to enjoy it, stop it and never do it again. 10. Say “thank you” when someone is helping you. It encourages one to do more and it shows how appreciative you are, taking nothing for granted. 11. Praise publicly. Criticize privately. 12. There’s almost never a reason to comment on someone’s weight. Just say, “You look fantastic.” If they want to talk about losing weight, they will. 13. When someone shows you a photo on their phone, don’t swipe left or right. You never know what’s next. Its none of your business. 14. If a colleague tells you they have a doctors' appointment, don’t ask what it’s for, just say "I hope you’re okay?". Don’t put them in the uncomfortable position of having to tell you their personal illness. If they want you to know, they'll do so without your inquisitiveness. 15. Treat the cleaner with the same respect as the CEO. Nobody is impressed at how rude you can treat someone below you, but people will surely notice if you treat them with respect. 16. If a person is speaking directly to you, staring at your phone is plain rude. 17. Never give advice until you’re asked. 18. When meeting someone after a long time, unless they want to talk about it, don’t ask them their age and salary. 19. Mind your own business unless anything involves you directly - just stay out of it. 20. Remove your sunglasses if you are talking to anyone in the street. It is a sign of respect. More so, eye contact is as important as your speech. 21. Never talk about your riches in the midst of the poor. Similarly, don't talk about your children in the midst of the barren. 22. After reading a good message, try to say "Thanks for the message". 23. Appreciation remains the easiest way of getting what you don't have.... Photo by Arthur Poulin - www.unsplash.com