School
Going to college can be one of the most stressful times of your youth. It’s many young folks first time moving out, first time by themselves, and their premier onto the adult scene. This added stress can exacerbate underlying mental conditions, which is why most mental issues present themselves between the ages of 18-24. Being a polite person will free our minds from the stress day-to-day aggravations can cause, and that’s a big deal for young folks trying to make it through school. Smiling and holding the door open for the person behind you will help you forget about the one just slammed in your face. While school work and being away from your family can be major stressors for freshmen, cohabitation can squeeze even the coolest college kid. Courtly courtesy can keep even the crummiest dirty sock hoarder out of mind, in your room, and an ideal roommate. While it might seem strange to oblige their strange habits, your 15 alarms don’t do much better. Communication and cordial interactions are vital contributors to serene cohabitation (being polite is all it takes), not daily dusting or taping down the middle of the room in a vain attempt to split your 10X20 room into separate kingdoms. Being polite while at school can really save your bum from a whole slew of daily emotional pitfalls, and keep your emotional well-being stable, this is just one example of the tremendous benefits that come when acting with a diplomatic disposition on a regular basis.
Work
Coping with workplace stress is a difficult transition for any person hacking their way through white collar wastelands, added stress from poor communication and conditions beyond your control (like when the print-shop closes, emails that need returned to you, or weather conditions) can cause your stress to spiral out of control. That stress can affect your performance, your interactions with clients, and your health; stay sweet and avoid that fetid funk that can sink into business interactions, and your mindset. You can get coffee for a co-worker, keep your conversations extremely cordial (avoid cursing, or politely curse), or try to focus on the positive, awesome things your co-workers are doing, and let them know that they are awesome for doing them! Let your clients, know too, your rude manners shouldn’t be the subtext to your customer service. Besides, if you’re staying late to wait for the print-shop to get back to you, or are waiting for some vital emails that need inspected before you leave, you can use your time to teach another co worker about your favorite excel tricks, or you could get a head start on the secretary’s HUGE stack of filing (they would love you forever for that).
Leisure time
You are the sweetest, kindest little genteel that ever did exist while at work, at school, or with your family and friends, but unless you can maintain that sweet, socially performing facade while under the pressures that might come with leisure activities like travel, playing games, or paintball! Just going for a long drive in the country-side can be super relaxing, but unless you stay calm and polite in the road, it can turn into a road-rage quite quickly if you start aggressively driving, or are unsure about the rules of the road in the area. Those rules can also prevent your politeness from spreading in other parts of the world (especially if you don’t follow the regional rules of what it means to be polite). Taking your leisure time, and enjoying it stress-free is vital for your future well-being. Relax, enjoy your leisure time, and take off into the super polite bliss you are bound to achieve. Featured photo credit: Calgary Canada Day 2014 via flickr.com
