How would you react if someone was mean to you? If a stranger gave you an unpleasant look, would you shrink away or give them the same glare in return? If someone spoke rudely to you, how would you respond? Would you go on the defensive or give them a dose of their own medicine? Mean people are everywhere. They lurk in every office and roam every grocery store. However, they don’t have to be permanent fixtures in your life. If someone is being unkind to you, then that means that they think that they are better than you. As such, their words hold no power over you. Instead of letting their insults get to you, try these 10 ways to respond to a mean person:
Remember that they are suffering, too
When someone is mean to you, it’s easy to get caught up in the drama of the moment. However, it’s important to remember that they are just as much in pain as you are. They are suffering just as much as you are suffering, even if their suffering is manifested in different ways. A person who is suffering both emotionally and physically will lash out at others. They may be rude or even verbally abusive. They may also choose to take their pain out on themselves, whether that means starving themselves or cutting themselves. Those who are suffering may not be able to help themselves. That doesn’t make them any less worthy of compassion. It just makes them people who need help. Helping them is one of the best ways to respond to a mean person.
Don’t take their words at face value
Most mean people have no idea how unkind they actually are. They are so wrapped up in themselves that they don’t realize that they are being hurtful. When someone insults you, they are often trying to make a statement about themselves rather than you. They envy your confidence or your appearance. They want to put you down because they feel insecure. There are people who are too insecure to ever be nice. There are also people who are too insecure to ever be unkind. That doesn’t mean that they should get a pass for being mean. However, it does mean that you shouldn’t take their words at face value. They have no real evidence for their insults, so don’t take them seriously. Instead, use their words against them by being kind and confident anyway.
Assert yourself without apology
If someone says something insulting to you, don’t apologize. Instead, assert yourself. Let the person know that they are crossing a line. You don’t have to be aggressive, but you do have to stand your ground. If someone insults you, they may be trying to get a reaction out of you. They may be trying to get you to apologize, so that they can feel better about themselves. Don’t give them what they want. Let them know that they’re being offensive without letting them know that their words have any effect on you. They’ll probably walk away feeling more stupid than you do.
Have a sense of humor
Humor is a great way to deflect hurtful comments. If someone is being rude to you, respond with a joke of your own. Let them know that you aren’t taking their insults seriously. You can also use humor to turn an insult into a joke about yourself. If someone is rude to you, you can joke about how silly their insult is. You can make fun of yourself to show that you don’t take the comment seriously. They will either feel embarrassed or they will feel silly. Either way, they will shut their trap. You can also use humor to take your mind off the situation. Humor is a great way to respond to a mean person because it is a sign of confidence. Showing people that you aren’t taking their comments seriously is one of the best ways to respond to a mean person.
Donate to a cause you care about
If someone is rude to you or attacks your appearance, respond by donating to a cause that you care about. Let the insult go and make the insult about the cause that you love. Let the rude remark be about something greater than yourself. Let it be about those who need your help. Let the rude comment be about improving the lives of others. Let it be about making the world a more beautiful place. Let it be about changing someone’s life for the better. Someone’s rude remark may have knocked you down, but it doesn’t have to knock you out. Let it be about something greater than you. Let it be about something better than you. Let it be about something more beautiful than you.
Help others who have been mistreated by the same person
If someone has been mean to you and their rudeness is affecting your life, consider helping others who have been mistreated by the same person. You don’t have to confront the mean person or tell them that they’ve hurt you. You can help others who have been hurt by the same person but who are too afraid to confront the person themselves. You can write a review on Yelp, Google, or some other online directory. You can share information with your friends and family members. You can support people who are trying to warn others about the same mean person. You can help others who have been hurt by the same person. You can let them know that you have their back. You can let them know that you are there for them just as much as the mean person has been there for them.
Keep moving forward with your head held high
If someone has insulted you, then don’t let them slow you down. Instead, let their words propel you forward. Let them push you to be better than you were before. Let them make you stronger. Let them make you more beautiful. Let them make you more confident. Let them make you wiser. They have no power over you unless you give it to them. They can make you feel smaller, but they can’t make you stay small. They can make you feel unworthy, but they can’t make you unworthy. They can make you feel unconfident, but they can’t make you unconfident. They can make you feel less confident and less beautiful, but they can’t keep you that way. They can make you feel like you’re a little boat in a big ocean, but they can’t keep you from sailing forward. They can make you feel like you’re a pebble on the shore, but they can’t keep you from becoming a beautiful pearl.
Conclusion
When someone is rude to you, don’t let their words stay with you. Let them wash away with the tide. Let them flow downstream to become lost in the muck. Let their unkindness be carried away with the current. Let their insults be carried off in the wind just as quickly as they came in. They are nothing more than hot air. They are words that mean nothing. They are insults that will fade away as quickly as they were said. Those who are mean will always be around. There will always be people who are too self-centered to be kind. However, there are ways that you can respond to a mean person. There are ways that you can shut them down and make them feel silly. There are ways that you can stand up for yourself without taking their insults personally.