Playing Nice in the Sandbox

We all have to work, deal and interact with people each day. The hardest part is when you have to interact with someone who does not play nice because of family ties, work responsibilities or an assignment. I have seen people struggle with this. I struggle with this. Kids often struggle with this as they are growing up very young and are learning how to share, cope with something they do not get and play nice in the sandbox.

Photo courtesy of Charged

How can we accomplish what is needed in our lives and our responsibilities and still play nice for the sake of our our sanity?

I invite you to give me your tips as I am no expert. I will tell you my strategy always comes from a place of inner peace, confidence and looking at the big picture. How would my disdain for this person help me? What will get accomplished by letting this person get to me? How can I use this person's bad behavior to my advantage. (That is my favorite strategy!) Will I be compromising my values and morals at the chance to throw sand at someone? How will I feel after I react?

So, it normally takes a good, hard, deep look inside to decide to be reactive or proactive. 99.9% of the time I choose proactive. Offering solutions, asking questions about the person's thinking, and yes sometimes ignoring the comments from the person all together. Deciding to shut my mouth than open it. Walk away rather than walk into fire.  Not easy to do. I believe that (for me) allowing this person to break my spirit, confidence and outlook on my day is not worth reacting many times. I normally think to myself, they must be going through a hard time. They might be taking things out on the wrong people. They might not be happy in their career, in their relationships or ......they might be jealous! Oh! And that never feels good.

How do you deal with people who do not play nice?