Attitude Check

by Dale Harcombe | More from this Blogger

11 Dec 2007 11:15 PM

There's always two ways of handling a situation. Recently I was shopping for a bag for a wedding. It needed to match gold sandals which sounded simple enough, except I never realized how many shades of gold exist. I also discovered the vast difference there can be between the staff of shops.

At one shop I looked at a gold evening bag but couldn't be sure it would match the shoes which were left at home. 'I'm not sure if it's the right color. Can I exchange if it's not right,' I asked.

'No,' the woman replied curtly. 'We don't exchange on evening bags.'

Thinking how abrupt the woman had been, I left deciding to look elsewhere for my bag. In another shop I saw two evening bags, in different shades of gold. 'I don't know. I can't tell under the florescent lights.'

'Take them to the door and check in the daylight,' the saleswoman suggested with a smile.

I took them to the door and decided one looked better than the other. 'I'm just not sure of the color because I don't have the shoes with me.'

'Take that bag home, have a look with the shoes. If it's not right, give me a call and I'll put the other bag away so you can change it.'

I took the preferred bag home. It matched the shoes perfectly.

Over the next days I thought over how different the attitudes of the two saleswomen were. No prizes for guessing which shop I'll go back to, if I want a handbag again.

Our attitude to people and to situations can make such a difference to the way we deal with them. How is your attitude? In the words of Australian entertainer, Frankie J. Holden 'You can only control one thing about your life, and that's your attitude.'

Some months back while standing in the checkout line the girl at the counter asked the man in front of me how he was. He just grunted and glowered at her like she was on par with the dust beneath his feet.

What a shame he didn't take time to chat with the lovely young woman. By the time we left that day, my husband and I knew a lot about her and her plans for after she finished work and her family.

It's all about the attitude you choose to take to other people, which in turn affects how they respond to you. Perhaps this week there is someone to whom you could show a friendly face, a smile and some encouraging words. You might be surprised at the results.

Please visit these related blogs The Blessing in Making Good Choices Bringing Joy

Are you being a mushroom?

Learn more about Dale Harcombe

Dale has a passion for books and writing. She writes in various forms, from articles to poetry to fiction for children and adults.

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