Don’t automatically resort to chattering about yourself when a conversation stalls. Instead, try asking other people questions about themselves and really listen to their answers. For example, you might say something like, “You’ve mentioned before that you like K-pop music. Do you have a favorite band?” You might say to a friend, “Tell me about your weekend—I’m dying to know how your date with Elliot went!”
It can help to pause for a few seconds to make sure they’re finished before you share your thoughts. No one appreciates being interrupted, but it can get you into real trouble if you habitually interrupt a teacher, boss, or other authority figure.
For example, instead of saying, “Ugh, they’re serving that disgusting meatloaf in the cafeteria again today,” you might say, “Good thing the cafeteria is serving pumpkin pie today. Delicious pie will help us all forget about that meatloaf!”
For example, if your coworker asks you how your weekend went, you probably shouldn’t respond with a monologue about your hemorrhoid flare up. Something like, “I was actually feeling pretty under the weather this weekend,” will suffice. Don’t describe every gory detail of the horror movie you watched last night while your best friend tries to eat her lunch.
Do not mimic other people or repeat their words back to them for no reason. Say something once unless they ask you to repeat it.
If you notice people around you reacting, take a moment to check your tone. Try to speak in a respectful tone and phrase things in a positive manner.
Repeatedly texting a crush can ruin a romance before it even begins. If you’ve sent 2 texts and your crush did not answer either of them, they may be trying to tell you they are uninterested.
If you have something super brief to share that doesn’t require a response, it might be okay occasionally, but otherwise, avoid group texting!
Writing text “novels” might be especially annoying for your crush or someone you went on 1 date with.
If you do send out mass texts, you may notice that you get fewer and fewer responses over time.
It’s okay to be eager to talk to someone! Just try not to overdo it.
For example, if you are posting your third grade class photo on Facebook, do not search out every person in the image and tag them. Even if you do keep in touch with them, they probably will not appreciate it. Tagging all of your friends in a silly meme post is sure to annoy them.
For example, do not post a million heart emojis on every single post your friend makes. It might be cute at first, but it will probably get old fast.
For example, Instagram allows up to 40 hashtags per post. Actually using all 40 of them is really annoying to your followers and to strangers affiliated with that hashtag.
For example, if your friend posts a music video on their Facebook page, you don’t need to respond with, “This is a terrible song. " If someone else makes a dumb comment, you don’t need to interject or get involved. Don’t correct other people’s grammar or spelling mistakes on social media.
Some boundaries that you might not want to cross include not going through other people’s stuff without asking, borrowing things without asking, or showing up uninvited, just to name a few.
For instance, you might say, “Hey, can I give you a hug before we leave?” Be accepting if they say “no. " It likely has nothing to do with you. Do not go around poking people constantly or even touching their arm if they’ve expressed they don’t like it. Of course, if they are a good friend of yours and they don’t mind, then, by all means, have fun. Otherwise, it’s always a good idea to just keep your hands to yourself!
Keep in mind that someone wanting to take space away from you may have nothing to do with you. Sometimes, people just need an emotional break or time away from others. If in a close relationship, you might have code words for when you need a break, such as “I think I need a time out” or “I could use a brain break for a day. "
This also means observing the social niceties, like not passing gas, not talking about bodily functions in public, and covering your nose and mouth with your elbow when you sneeze or cough. Being hygienic is a way of showing you respect others. If you show up with a sloppy appearance and you haven’t brushed your teeth or showered in a few days, that tells the people around you that you don’t care about how you appear to them, which isn’t respectful. [15] X Research source
For instance, don’t stand in an area where people are trying to walk or hold a conversation in a doorway. Be aware of what your kids are doing (if you have them) so they’re not annoying others.
