Skip to main content

One of the most COWARDLY things people can do

One of the most cowardly things a person can do is to talk smack behind someone's back.

Unfortunately, this has become all too common in virtually any context we can think of -- work, school, even at home.

Let's stop for a moment and consider why someone might want to badmouth someone behind his or her back.

In most cases, it's because the person is upset with or envious of the individual and wants to find a way to stick it to them without having an actual confrontation.

Thus begin rumors and a lot of he-said-she-said, putting those in the middle -- the ones made to listen to the remarks in secret -- in a tough situation.

Truthfully, talking behind someone's back has a juvenile quality to it. Why not act like adults and talk face to face?

When people's emotions get the best of them, they can act callously. Most people like drama to some degree -- otherwise, reality shows ranging from The Kardashians to The Real Housewives wouldn't have such a big following.

But it's this kind of behavior that often leads to failed relationships and other unfavorable consequences.

If you ever find yourself tempted to talk behind someone else's back -- even upon discovering that person did it first -- be the better person and try to seek a peaceful, tactful resolution to the problem. Reach out to him or her and initiate a heart-to-heart conversation. It's possible the person may have misconstrued something you said or did and all it takes to right the ship is a 5-minute conversation. Usually, a person will respond positively when he or she sees the other party is making a genuine effort to mend fences.

Be the better person and put your ego aside. I'm sure many more problems in the world would see a peaceful resolution if just one of the sides simply swallowed their pride.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

This will spell the end of your relationship

When asked to think about the most common culprits for a relationship's going south, most people will point to cheating, complacency, and taking one's partner for granted. While these are all valid -- and documented in various posts on this blog -- there are certain habits on the part of partners that may not kill the relationship right away, but cause it to erode more gradually.  Among the most egregious of these is expecting your significant other to be perfect. They pick at your follies any chance they get. Nothing you do is ever good enough. In fact, you will never measure up to an ex, neighbor, or accomplished co-worker.  Perhaps this all sounds a bit familiar.  When you feel as though you're constantly being put under the microscope, it can inflict lasting damage on the relationship and your self-esteem. You're walking on eggshells all the time, praying you don't say or do something that's going to trigger your partner. This is no way to live, let alone ca

No response from someone IS a response

Make no mistake about it: When you don't get a response from someone -- whether they fail to answer your texts or return your phone calls -- it is  still a response, and a powerful one at that. When a person fails to respond, it's a direct reflection of their interest -- or lack thereof -- in the relationship. Few things are more aggravating than having to hound a partner, friend, or relative for some sort of reply after we've reached out to them. Yes, we get busy from time to time, but that doesn't give anyone the right to leave the other person hanging. A terse text with something like "Been busy, will reach out soon" doesn't say much, but at least it shows some effort to bring the other person up to speed on why they've fallen off the radar. Failing to provide a response for weeks -- if not months -- communicates that you are just not a priority, and that you'll have to wait your turn to get this individual's attention. This is n

Misconceptions about quiet people

Earlier today, I came across a Facebook page that features motivational quotes intended to improve people's moods and enhance their overall self-esteem. Interestingly, I noticed two quotes that focus specifically on quiet people: "Be afraid of quiet people; they're the ones who actually think." "The quietest people have the loudest minds." I've observed that most people's views of quiet individuals can fall under one of two categories: 1. The ones who say quiet people are antisocial, suspicious, snobbish, and/or full of themselves. 2. The people who say their introspective nature and propensity to be deep in thought makes them smarter than their more garrulous peers. The quotes above speak to this mindset. As an introvert known to be quiet at work and at social functions where I might not know anyone, I feel I'm well positioned to dispel any inaccuracies surrounding quiet folks. First of all, the above statements misguidedly put