8 Things You Can Do to Show How Great Your Manners Are

Good manners don’t only show that you respect those around you, but that you also respect yourself. That is because making a good impression will make people want to get closer to you. They will want to be in your company since they know that you will treat them respectfully. Also, manners will take you a long way in your career, no matter what you choose to do.

1. How to accept compliments.

A person with good manners can accept compliments, since they know that they are worthy of nice words. A short “Thank you!” is enough along with a polite smile. They don’t need to start a feigned dispute and refute the praise — it could embarrass the person giving the compliment.

One of the main rules is to look into the eyes of the person you are talking to — no matter whether that is your acquaintance, a relative, a child, an adult, a waiter, or your boss. It is unacceptable to look at the wall, someone’s tie, or other people’s shoes during a conversation. A close look in the eyes will show that she is focused on this conversation, is not distracted by other things, and thus doesn’t allow disrespect toward the person she is talking to.

2. How to leave your cup when you finish your coffee.

While lipstick stains on napkins are acceptable, they definitely don’t look good on a cup. Since leaving these traces is considered a sign of bad manners, here are some tips on how you can avoid it:

• Unnoticeably and quickly lick the cup before drinking. (fats and water don’t mix).
• Before swallowing, carefully remove excess lipstick on your lips with a tissue.
• Apply lipstick primer or lipstick liner under your lipstick and then blot your lips with a tissue after you apply the lipstick.

3. How to hang your bag.

When you sit at the table, place your bag on an empty chair next to you, on your knees, or behind you. Putting it on the floor or hanging it on the back of a chair is not appropriate because it can get in other people’s way.

When moving across a crowd, hold the bag with your left hand and carry it on your left shoulder, or remove it from your shoulder and hold it in front of you. Be attentive to others when you put your bag on or take it off your shoulder so you don’t unintentionally hit someone.

4. How to place a napkin on your lap.

A napkin taken from a dining table should be placed on the lap, folding it in half during lunch and keeping it unfolded during dinner. It’s not forbidden to put elbows on the table. The main thing to keep in mind is that it can be done before the meal or in breaks between the dishes.

5. How to shop with your cart.

The traffic in supermarkets, especially on weekends and public holidays, can be very hectic. That’s why, just like with driving a car, there is an important rule to be followed — keep right. Move your cart closer to the right side, keep the middle part of the aisle open for other customers. If the aisle is too narrow, park your cart at the beginning of the aisle and walk to pick up the goods you need.

6. How to talk about your vacation.

It’s better to steer clear of mentioning the names of people and places, including addresses, and limit yourself by sharing general information without details. For example, “I was at the ‘Entrée’ cafe with my friend Rachel,” should be replaced with, “We dropped into a cafe for lunch.” The list of undesirable topics also includes health, politics, and religion.

7. How to use cutlery.

If you accidentally drop a fork or a spoon, don’t go under the table looking for it. Ask a waiter or the host of the event to get you a new one. Also, the cutlery you started using should not touch the table. You can only place it on the side of your plate but not on the tablecloth.

Another thing to remember is that you shouldn’t cut your entire meal into small pieces. It is believed that this way food goes cold much faster and loses its taste. It is better to cut one piece at a time and eat it right away.

8. How to squeeze a lemon in a public space.

It’s hard to resist the temptation to squeeze a slice of lemon in order to give your tea a tinge of citrus. However, oftentimes, when doing so, we don’t think about those around us. The rules for good manners say: squeeze a lemon with one hand while covering it with the other as you squeeze it into your glass, so you don’t accidentally splash the juice in your across-the-table friend’s eye.

What other important advice on manners would you give people? Is there anything major we might have missed?