when minding others

recently i've really been thinking about manners and how people interact with one another. although i see a lot of good and kindness in the world around me, sometimes i do get distraught when i see injustice and egocentricity.

10 things to always keep in mind when minding others:

10. always always say please and thank you - and look at the person in the eye when doing it. it should not matter whether you're talking to the ceo of your company or the bag boy at trader joe's (even call them by their name).  
9. gentlemen, hold doors for the ladies - yes, i am very aware i have a set of hands but chivalry will get you far in life. 
8. tip 20% - i worked at a bar for a couple of years and let me tell you, it's work! if you cant afford tipping, please don't step foot in a restaurant. no one likes a cheap-skate and believe me, they remember you.(granted service is good.)
7. smile - seriously, just smile. don't ever act like your above anything or anyone. smiling will open doors and get you in places. 
6. when presenting a problem, offer a solution - one of my biggest pet peeves is people who complain. what really gets under my skin is when these people don't want to help themselves. if you're complaining about the cold, go get a jacket :)
life's too short.
5. keep your word - ie: follow through. the older you grow the more you'll realize your word will build the foundation to your name and success.
4. judge slowly - people like jumping to conclusions and becoming masters of assumption. stop. you never know where someone has been through but more importantly you never know where someone is going.
3. always offer a helping hand - and don't expect anything in return. it sounds like a broken record but it's true. i believe no man is an island and we're all here to better the next person.
2. listen - the most revolutionary step of any relationship/friendship = the art of listening. communication certainly entails the talking but what i find most helpful is when i shut the hell up and listen to the other party. 
1. be grateful - my #1 is gratefulness. my mom actually emailed me this quote today:
gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. it turns what we have into enough, and more. it turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order, confusion to clarity. it can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend. gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today, and creates a vision for tomorrow. - melody beattie