Practicing Tactfulness

Many who know me will tell you that tactfulness is not really my gift. I want it to be. I really really do. But whenever I am put in the position where being tactful would be best, the words never come out right. Something seems to shut off in my brain and the words just come tumbling out – usually in the most straightforward (blunt) way possible. And while this is the easiest way for me, it’s apparently not all that pleasant for the other person.

I don’t like unpleasantness. And I especially don’t like being the cause of unpleasantness.

My solution was just not talking about stuff. I would just bottle it all up and avoid until it all exploded in some sort of really unfortunate unpleasantness.

Obviously, the avoidance approach wasn’t working.

So lately instead of avoiding I have been taking the opportunities that pop up to practice tactfulness. Now we all know that practice makes perfect….however, much happens before that perfection is attained.

Ugh.

This means that I have messed up a lot lately and have had to do a lot of apologizing. Frankly, I'm as tired of humble pie as I am of turkey. But each time I practice tactfulness, I get a little bit better at it and learn something new about the best way to approach different people and subjects. I’m still a far way from where I would like to be but I’m getting there…slowly….painfully .

Like a snail on a trail of salt.