Success Through Confidence Series Part 4: Mind Your Manners

There is such a void in the area of manners these days. Have you ever held the door open for someone only to have them breeze through like they were all that? Made you want to strangle them didn’t it? These are people who think that Good Manners is a spin-off from the popular rock band Good Charlotte. And boy, are they in for a rude awakening – pun intended.

In case you’re one of those people, this are the basics of good manners:

The basics of proper etiquette are mostly common-sense rules. Do not interrupt when someone else is talking.

Do not chew with your mouth open

Do not wear ripped up jeans to a formal function even if you are a rebel with a cause – unless you like being thrown out unceremoniously.

Say “Excuse Me” and “Thank You”. Try it – your jaw will not break.

The two easiest ways become skilled in the fundamentals of propriety, to learn good manners, is to study and to practice. Just like anything else that's worthwhile.

Then there are three ways to study etiquette.

One is to consult a professional who will teach you everything you need to know.

Another is to read books and articles on the subject.

The easiest way to gain knowledge of good manners is to carefully watch those around you that already have them. Everyone knows someone that is considered to be the "nicest person" or the "best guest to have at a dinner party" or "so classy".

Study that person's mannerisms and do your best to copy them. This is not to say that you should change your personality to match someone else's. Proper etiquette is not about changing who you are, it's about improving how you act in certain situations. Having good manners doesn't mean being stuffy or even conservative, it should, in fact, free you in group gatherings to be more sociable, more outgoing, more friendly. When you learn instinctively how to act in certain situations, you'll actually be able to express your true self with less reserve and self-consciousness.