A lot of the time people are indirectly impolite. It is totally unintentional, but it happens. You never know someone’s background, what their parents taught them, or an individual’s state of mind in the moment.
Whether a man walks on the wrong side of the street, or if a woman takes a majority of the salad and leaves hardly any for the other guests, I will be the first to say I have seen it all.
The number one rule of etiquette is to always show kindness no matter what. Never attack people. Never offend people unintentionally. Always be gracious and forgiving to those who do not know better, and simply work with what you have. We need to practice a gratitude mindset to practice when controlling our emotions.
I was watching The Real Housewives of Potomac — but am a die-hard Beverly Hills Housewives fan, let’s make that clear — and Karen Huger is one of first the cast members who is introduced Potomac. She exudes a very elite life. I hate that word, because it insinuates that people are superior, though it is apropos here.
Throughout the show, she does literally screams at people from across the room saying, “That is not etiquette!” She does it in almost every other episode, and it drives me nuts haha.
The first rule of etiquette is to be gracious. Everyone is probably thinking the same thing if someone there is a third party who is being rude. Therefore there is no reason to point it out. Just move on with your lives gleefully. It does not make the situation better.
It is difficult for me to put a famous person on the spot now, because I am really not feeling good about pointing out someone else’s gaffes. This behaviour is consistent in the show, and I wanted to
1. Remind you it is a tv show where a lot of it is scripted, and people get paid more to make a raucous.
2. Show you an example of what to avoid doing when faced with a not so favourable situation.
We are going to be faced with rude people, individuals having a bad day, and all the interactions in between. It is imperative we stay our best, lift others up with leading by examples, and be gracious to everyone around us.
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I’m Gia G. Dixon, an etiquette consultant certified under Royal Charter of King Charles III. Here is my guide to elegant style, high quality living, and little things that make your daily life glamorous.
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