4 Simple Ways To Get Along With People

Getting along with people, doesn’t have to be difficult.

There doesn’t have to be some deep, change of viewpoints or beliefs.

People can get along without all of that.

It’s all about respect, and treating people nicely.

Being open to others, and being a genuine listener.

And being nobody else, except who you are.  That authenticity connects.

What’s 4 simple ways to get along with people?

 

Assume positive intent.

I used to have characters in my life that I didn’t get along with.  And that’s putting it lightly.

Eventually, I got closer and got along with them.

We’re not close friends.  This isn’t some chummy relationship from enemies kind of story.

This is about how I saw them, what I expected of them, and how that informed what I said or did.

Before I could even begin to change our relationship, and begin speaking, much less, working together, I had to change my thoughts.

Instead of assuming that they are out to get me, I entertained the possibility that they mean well.

And that, began the change of the relationship.

When I began to think positively of people, and that they mean well, my outlook on what I did, and my reactions, changed.

I became more patient, more understanding.

I became more respectful, and less prideful and arrogant.

It wasn’t just about me.  It was about you as well, the relationship.

I also became more open to what people were going to say, when I assumed that they meant to help me, and not to hurt me.

Give people the benefit of the doubt.

Instead of being closed all of the time.

 

Listen first.

You probably have heard of this one.

But, you probably don’t do it all that often.

I didn’t

I thought I was already a good listener, but what was really happening, was that I was listening for what I wanted to hear.

Or I was already thinking up of a reply, or a rebuttal to what I was hearing.

That’s the problem with listening, it’s too hard.

Because we think of it as effort, as a burden.

Why not just drop all of our judgements and conclusions, and just be open, and listen.

Just listen.

And if you listen well, it will become easier to get along with the other person.

Because now you know what’s important for them.

Because now, you can have a conversation.  The two of you.

But, listen first.  Be the first one gracious enough to let the other person have their peace.

Listen first.

 

Smile

This one goes a long way.

We probably don’t notice our facial expressions, but showing openness, warmth, and friendship to other people wouldn’t hurt.

It would be downright fantastic.

But there is also an art to smiling.

Don’t give an exaggerated smile, or a forced smile.

Let the smile come up from beneath, showing that you’re truly happy, sending love to the other person.

Imagine sending love to the other person.  Unconditional love, and let that power the smile.

The energy will be felt by the other person, and the smile will translate into a connection.

People don’t want to deal with unhappy, toxic, mean people.  They want to be with happy, positive, warm, and open people.

And a smile is the first step to telling others that you’re willing to get along with them.

Besides, it’s easier to smile than to frown.  It takes less muscles.

 

Don’t just be yourself, accept yourself.

The most important element in getting along with others, isn’t what you say, or what you do.

It’s you.

I recall my mentor telling me, that the medium is as important as the message.

Meaning, even if we do all of these behaviors, people will still base their decision on who we are.

An Uber driver I came across said the same thing.  He used to be a regional sales manager for a drug company, and he was the top in the country.

And it wasn’t because he has the best product out there.  Almost all the products did the same thing, and were of the same price.

People buy you.

They buy into you.

They have to know that they can trust you first, then they buy.

Same with getting along other people.

Of course, the trust may not be that deep, but there still has to be some trust, even at the beginning.

The trust that you are who you say you are.

The trust that you won’t stab them in the back.

The trust that you won’t humiliate them, shame them, or reject them.

This all begins with acceptance.  People can smell a fake a mile away.

Once you begin to accept yourself, people will too.

 

Getting along with others.

It can be easy, or hard to get along with others.

It’s up to you.

You don’t have to be friends with everyone.

But everyone’s fighting a hard battle with life.

It wouldn’t hurt to be nice.

And get along with others.

 

What do you do to get along with others?  Please share in the comments below!