Over the last several years, news feeds have featured the bad behavior of travelers. From the man spewing profanity because of a crying baby to the guy in the middle seat at the back of the plane who crawled over the aisle passenger to get out one person ahead, bad behavior is on the rise. This didn’t leave me feeling warm and fuzzy about a family trip I was fortunate to be able to take over the holidays. I hate to admit it, but I’m not the most sanguine traveler, and I can let rude people, delays, etc., ruin my trip. I recognize this is my issue and well within my control, so I committed to being “zen” for the journey.
To fully embrace my zen and the time with family and new sites and experiences, I decided to be “KIND.” I think being kind is a good thing, and this acronym is a reminder of how to treat others and myself:
“K”—Keep my sense of humor—it can get me through a lot!
“I”—be Imperturbable; exhibit patience when faced with challenges (like flight cancellations, delays, and rude travelers); the only person I hurt by losing my patience is myself.
“N”—be Nonjudgemental; don’t make assumptions about the choices and motivations of others (I’m probably driving them crazy in turn).
“D”—be Deliberate; stop and think before I respond.
This reminder served me well, not just over the holidays but every day since, which started me thinking about its applicability to the workplace. So often, we are faced with handling work-related issues that consistently arise from the same few employees, are inconveniently timed, or feel impossible to navigate. I hope keeping KIND in mind will help you navigate them without pulling out your hair!
Wishing you a joyful, safe, and KIND new year!
