Dealing with Difficult People and Making Changes to Their Habits

Dealing with Difficult People and Making Changes to Their Habits

When you are dealing with difficult people this means trying to understand why these difficult people can exhibit many habits that you find very annoying and frustrating. But such habits have been developed over a very long time.

CHANGING TAKES TIME TO ACHIEVE

In dealing with people, particularly those you find very stressful it is very important to note that changing a habit also takes time and just doesn’t happen overnight. The more habitual the behavior is, then the greater the time and determination needed by that person to change the way they do things.

DEALING WITH DIFFICULT PEOPLE AND HABITS

You wonder why that person cannot see how their behavior is so inappropriate, negative and causing so much stress. You just can’t see why they cannot stop that type of behavior and do things differently. However, it’s not simple or easy to alter a behavior pattern when it’s been there for a long, long time. It sure does not come simply and takes much practice and time to use different behaviors.

CAN YOU REALLY CHANGE YOUR BEHAVIOR?

So if altering and changing habitual behavior is hard, can difficult people change their behavior? They certainly can! Everyone can change their behavior. For sure there’s a lot of psychological aspects that can influence someone’s decision to make changes. Beginning with the person’s decision that they want to change. But whatever reasons, it is important for you to understand that in dealing with difficult people at work or home, they will find it hard to change. For all of us, changing our habits can be done but it doesn’t happen overnight.

UNDERTAKE THIS TEST FOR YOURSELF

To remind yourself of just how hard it is to change habits, try this simple but powerful experiment for yourself. For one week, each day when you go to clean your teeth do the following. Instead of holding your toothbrush in the hand you usually do, use the opposite hand. That’s right, swap hands. When cleaning your teeth use the other hand with the toothbrush for one week. How does it feel? Awkward? Irritating? Challenging? Distressing? For most people, such words explain the feelings we have when attempting to alter a habit.

DEALING WITH DIFFICULT PEOPLE AT WORK AND HOME

Can you do it? Well are you able to brush your teeth with the other hand? Of course you can. To begin with it feels extremely awkward. However, if you persist and stay with it over that whole week, then gradually it’ll become easier and you’ll be better at it too. Over a period of them, you will get accustomed to using your other hand to brush your teeth. Then if you try to change back to your original hand this too will feel awkward and take time to change back.

WORKING WITH DIFFICULT PEOPLE AND TIME

This experiment reinforces that changing habits takes time. Therefore, you need to remember when dealing with difficult people at work or in your personal life, that it will take time for them to change. It will be challenging and awkward for them to do. They have to be persistent to change the way they act.

COPING WITH DIFFICULT PEOPLE IN YOUR LIFE

So in dealing with people, always keep in mind that very true saying that “old habits die hard”. When working with difficult people you have to give people the opportunity to change over a period of time. You must allow them time to swap hands with their toothbrush. To change their behavior. You’ll have to be determined also in helping to remind them and also to encourage them to make such changes.

PERSISTENT AND CONSISTENT ACTIONS IN HANDLING PEOPLE

Patience and determination are needed by those changing their behavior and those assisting them to alter these behaviors and no longer be considered as difficult people.



© Dr Judy Esmond. This article may be shared with others on the understanding that it remains intact and credit is given to the author and the website link http://www.dealingwithdifficultpeople.com

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