Dealing with rude coworkers and customers....

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Wow, that's a really touching story! What a nice lady! She truly was an angel! I wish that more people were like her! The world would be a much better, safer, and better place if more people were like her.

A few times I was stressed out or in a hurry so I left my wallet or purse out in public. One time that happened with a phone too. All those times different kind honest strangers let me know about that. I had a lot of cash in my wallet at the time, so the fact that it was returned to me with everything there said a lot about that person and how honest and kind they are-

I hope that her good karma got returned to her in spades! I try to make small donations here and there and be nice to people hoping that my good karma will come back to me. It normally does. I hope that those bad people who do bad things will have bad things happen to them eventually. I truly hope that what comes around goes around is actually true.

I believe we can be fairly certain of that, and "Karma" or whatever does not need us to wrongly wish that upon them. To truly be free of people who wrong us, we must rise above anything less than wishing and hoping the very best for anyone and everyone...and that is the kind of example set by the woman in the above story. She did what she did because that is what she does and not because she had first presumed to judge the other person worthy.

I must say that I wish nothing but good karma and good experience to all people. I believe that through suffering, some can learn much but that long suffering can cause good people to do bad things for understandable reasons when looked at from a new angle. Therefore by good things happening to all people, more people would be satisfied and less likely to wish harm on other people. So I wish everyone happiness in hopes they will share their happiness with others. Or their experience which can be valuable also. I try to do good wherever I go. I do my best and that is what I expect to continue doing.

I personally would refrain from wishing that bad things happen to people. I personally think it's a waste of mental energy wishing others harm. Sometimes when feel frustrated or angry it might be better to help less fortunate. There is always someone out there who has it worse. Kind of puts things in perspective.

I've dealt with that crap for my entire life. Hell I used to want to end my life because of things people said about me. Then I realized unless the are feeding me, funding me, and f***ing me, their opinions are worthless. Life is to short to give a damn about what people think of you. Do and be what makes you happy and if it pisses people off, who the hell cares?

Philosophically, I agree: What other people think of me is none of my business!

I agree with this philosophy but unfortunately not everyone who is bullied is capable of emotionally coming to this same conclusion. It can be a very traumatic and powerless feeling I wish upon no one.

Agreed. 'Mr./Ms. Intellect' can know what other people think of us is not our concern, but that knowledge does not always quiet 'Mr./Ms. Feelings' in the back of the bus.

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That's true. Bullying does leave emotional scars that take years to get over. I'm still not over some of the past bullying I experienced. It was bad. I was even physically attacked a few years ago by two different guys. One time a so called friend at this party saw what happened and did nothing to help me. What an ***!

This jerk just grabbed my leg for no reason after my friend left at a Halloween party. He wouldn't let go. I screamed for help but most people were to drunk to help and didn't care. I was merely trying to help a drunk girl who fell up. I had nothing to drink that night.

He was drunk though. That did not excuse his behaviour at all. Long story short, I managed to grab his leg at one point when he tried to mock kick me, and I demanded an apology and why he did it. He refused so I yanked his leg. He screamed for help like a little girl, LOL! No one helped him.

I should've gotten the bouncer to kick him out and call the cops for assaulting me. I wasn't thinking straight.I was to shaken up. Another time some jerk just grabbed my wrist and wouldn't let go. He really hurt me. This was at 2a.m and I was with two friends. One of them pulled me away after he let go and she said he wasn't in our group. The other guy talked to him and he left.

]If they weren't there, he might've raped and killed me. God, I really hate people at times. There are some evil monsters out there. I wish that I was able to pepper spray him and kick him in the balls. I should've. I had my friends there. No cops were around of course. I should've called one.

I don't know why I freeze up at times. Weird.

I am very sorry that happened to you. (((Hugs)))

I've been violently assaulted several times....one time by 2 car loads of people....I was 15 and they ranged in ages from 17-25!!! My nose was broken, 2 black eyes...I lost over a quarter of my hair and my face was a big bruised blob. I was assaulted by 5 or more on several occaszions and sexually assaulted on more than one occasion. I get TERRIFIED of people. I get paranoid delusions that I'm being stalked by people and hide in my house. I become convinced they are waiting for me outside and will attack and I cannot step outside for months sometimes. It's very difficult to get over being assaulted...it's a crime. I'm so very sorry you have experience with this also.

It is a skill learning to deal with difficult customers. Boy it's frustrating though. I worked in a customer service position for a large company for 45 plus years. First rule of thumb, try to train yourself not to take it personally, it takes time to do that. Even if they seem to lash out at you , it really isn't you they are mad at. When there is a cranky/unreasonable customer , the first thing I try to think of is "wonder what happened to them today to make them so angry" Did they get a bad diagnosis, did they have a fight with their spouse, are there bills they can't pay, do they have 4 whiny kids with them ? The next magic trick which is surprisingly effective is to agree with the customer on some of their complaints eg no one to explain how to use things. "I know I find that frustrating too, let me think how I can fix this for you" May I have a supervisor give you a call to help find a solution ? If you don't mind leaving your number? We want to get you all fixed up. ( all done with a large genuine smile and a calm confident yet sympathetic tone......this is all a skill you have to practice, but there will likely be no shortage of cranks to practice on ) the genuine smile part can be facilitated with "imagining" oneself grabbing the client by the collar or giving them a slap upside the head, this alone will help bring a genuine smile to your face. If you have a chance at break to vent to fellow coworkers about the folks you've had to deal with , it will likely end with a laugh and renewed ability to go back out on the front lines. Most of all learn not to take it personally, some folks just like to try to make it seem that way but guaranteed 3 minutes after they leave the store they couldn't even describe if you were blond , brunett or redhead. And after 5 minutes they've probably forgotten the whole incident. Don't give them the power to ruin your day. Vent and move on, there will usually be really sympathetic / kind customers that have overheard and empathize with you. Customer service is not for the weak lol

@Elsa, omg, so sorry that happened to you! I'm not sure that I'd be able to leave the house that often or even talk to anyone anymore if that happened to me. Once is enough, but 5 times? OMG.

Did this occur at a party? I heard that a lot of assaults with young people tend to take place at parties or places where there's drinking and drugs involved. Not saying you were doing that, just saying. Even if you were, that doesn't change things at all. It was never your fault to begin with. You might've been drugged or asleep too.

I hope that you're in therapy for that. I would be wary of taking any drink from any stranger and never ever leave a drink unattended. It takes a second to slip a roofie in a drink. And I'd never ever go to a social event by myself or with someone who will leave me there as then you can become a lone target.

Always be around people, but even that apparently isn't bullet proof. You need to be around people who will have your back for sure. And carry pepper spray with you. Take self defense classes. I have been attacked a long time ago in a public place at a hotel during Halloween in a large crowded place. This guy bought me drinks then followed me to the hotel rooms.

Trigger warning.

Long story short, thought he was walking me back to my room, but being young and naieve, he pushed me into one and tried to rape me. I kicked him in the balls but he was wearing some protection. I pepper sprayed him and then ran like hell. He said, owe, *****!

I didn't call the cops as I was in shock. I tend to freeze when bad things happen every now and then. Sometimes I do react the way that I should though like fighting back. Anyways, if you use pepper spray, hold your breath as the fumes will make you choke. Practice with it. It probably saved me from getting raped and maybe killed. Never ever trust strangers no matter how nice they seem at first. Especially men.

Have to start my first day at work on period now, ugh! Will try to respond to all of you again soon. Have some stray kitties to deal with too. OMG, I need a break!!!!

I was sitting at home watching the little mermaid with my parents. A girl I thought was my friend lured me outside and when I turned a corner I was immediately jumped ....punched and had my nose broken first thing so I was seeing stars and couldn't defend myself. My ex boyfriends much older sister was a heroine attack...I was 15 and she was 21 and she sent her friends over to beat me up for breaking up with her brother. Except for the girl who lured me from my house I didn't know any of these people. My parents heard my screaming and came out and my dad started pulling the girls off me. A really big guy...probably close to 23 came running up to my dad and said "you like to hit girls, wanna hit me". (My dad wasn't hitting girls he was yanking them off me). My dad said "fLick yeah I do and he ran, punched the guy who went FLYING. Jumped on him and started beating him senseless. Then they neighbors came out and everyone got back in their car and fled. I called the police but only knew the first name of the girl but none of the others names. A few months later my exs sister called and apologized for it and told me she wanted to be my friend and was moving into the condo next to us. My mom talked to the owners and she was not allowed to move in fortunately. I was never at parties where violence broke out but I do know it happens.

I am so sorry that happened to you. I had something similar go down but it's too much for me to talk about right now. Actually, writing about all this stuff recently has made me very sick and increased my hyper vigilance.

I am going to therapy. I decided last night I'm not going to go anymore. People are just sick and I don't trust them. So my current plan is to just wait it out at home until I die.

I am truly sorry for what happened and I hope you can move past it. (((Hugs)))

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Sorry to hear that. I've been in your shoes way to many times as well! I try not to let these horrible people get to me, but I can't help it at times as I'm a sensitive person. I do try my best to not react and give them the pleasure of seeing me in pain. Sadistic bullies love that. I just now give them a wtf look, or look at them like they're crazy or weird or be like whatever most of the time, lol! Deep down it does hurt me at times. I don't get why some people like to bully me. I don't deserve that ****.

It did give me a wicked sense of sarcastic humor and I do walk around like I have a chip on my shoulder(which I do) so people then to give me a wide berth now and if they don't, they get a glare so angry it sends most scurrying in the opposite direction. If you don't want to play defense with bullies you have to have to have to go on the offensive. Stop that ***** before it even starts. It took me 25 years to figure out but the last 8 years have been mostly bully free.

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lol! Good for you. Maybe I should walk around with brf from now on (***** resting face), lol! If I ever see that ***** that called me fat at work, instead of asking for an apology and telling her that was inappropriate of her to do, I'll just call her a **** in passing as I give her a mean look, lol! Then she'll then know how it feels to be bullied! LOL!

Learn the art of the death glare. It has served me well.

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Well, my former coworkers have laughed at other customers before, but not about the mean ones. The laughed about the ones they thought were weird or annoying. One former manager said that this girl asked her about lipstick to make out with and her response was something along the lines of she's not even cute, who'd want to make out with her?

Some people are just assholes. That one lady who was rude to me got sympathy from one of the male vendors there who's nice and kind of cute. He asked me if I needed a hug and I said yes....aawww....I wish more people were like him. Also, this customer in line told me she saw what happened and said that she's sorry that I had to put up with such rude behaviour. I love people like that!

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I have, trust me on that, lol! Long story short, I once gave a hot rock star the **** off and die stare before I kick your *** for being a **** to me. I thought he was cool until then. He then walked off after that. I wanted to confront him in the front lot and ask him wtf his problem was and for an apology, but he was nowhere to be found. I guess his bandmate buddies warned him that a pissed off crazy chic was out there waiting to yell at him, LOL!

I have also mastered the art of telling people off. My claws come out when people mess with me, trust me on that! No one ****s with me and gets away with it ever! No one!

Keep in mind I'm also well known for having a lightning fast temper, even for a New Yorker, and the large amount of ink I have along with the very public knowledge that I usually have at least one knife hidden on my person tends to help a little too. Yay for small towns.

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LOL! I would never want to piss you off, lol! I look a little naive, sweet, and innocent, so maybe that's why some people think that they can eff with me, idk.

My friend told me the other day that if someone walks in a room and sees a pit bull and a poodle, they won't dare eff with the pit bull, but they might kick the poodle if they're in a bad mood. She's right about that. I need to look and act tougher. Not gonna get any tats, but I'm definitely going to try to not act to nice or go out of my way to be nice to people. I'll try my best to hide my feelings so that people are less likely to mess with me.

Bullies go after easy targets. The ones that will never retaliate. Retaliate. Get pissed off, get loud, be angry, tell them exactly where they can stick their opinion and let them know you'll be happy to assist. beat them at their own game.

Shy, I'm a little baffled by you. Do you have some anger issues you're dealing with, perhaps, that we don't know about? It might help me (and others) have some perspective on this.

Keep your head down and your mouth closed when in a work environment. Work is not the same as a social situation and I'm not sure that you know this yet....you won't get the kind of justice that I think you're looking for.

I hope you find a job in the future that agrees with your personality because that has to be the most difficult thing and, in the mean time, you simply have to not complain too much.

Unless this is all just a vent, and you're not planning on behaving this way in reality.

I disagree with Apokolips completely, here.....

Don't need you to agree it's just how I've dealt with being treated like a whipping boy my entire life.