In the effort of being nice have you ever said something that might have been taken the wrong way? I sure have, probably a result from overthinking it and being overzealous. Not everyone comes from the same place and that can cause some communication issues. Our cultural and our language make up who we are as people and when you come from different places it can be challenging to be understood. People have the best intentions but can do things that make folks uncomfortable or perhaps put off.
Being gracious, understanding, slow to anger and having some empathy as well as sympathy are great things to have for every occasion.
Figuring people out without being judgmental is difficult but sometimes first impressions is all you have to go on. So how you relate to people initially can be a real challenge. Offending people by some poorly chosen words can be very harmful. Every experience with meeting new people can be a learning opportunity and hopefully you can have a shot at making new friends.
I think being friendly sometimes means making a fool of yourself. It is that experience that can make our lives more interesting don’t you think?
The Tony Burgess Blog 