When at the gym, out for a walk, or in other public places, have you ever been on the receiving end of 'not so nice' comments because of your age, weight, or something else? How should we respond? Should we respond? That decision is totally personal. My opinion is that if we decide to react to the negative comment, keep it personal by using the 'I' word and respond to negativity with a positive attitude.
Start with I feel...I want...I think. Maybe you are at the gym and receive a comment about your age or weight. Answering "I can become as fit as I want to be" shows self confidence!
It's common knowledge that our mind grows dim as we age, right? No! That is not so and a response of "My mind is as sharp as ever!" might be in order if your ability to learn new technology or anything else is ever challenged.
Responding at all is a choice, based mostly on your temperament, situation and picking your battles. I was boarding a plane once and the flight attendant addressed me as 'dearie'. Red flags were flying high as I wondered if she addressed me like that just because of my age. Luckily, I held back my short and maybe not so sweet twenty second lecture on ageism, being glad I did as I heard her address the rest of the passengers the same way. On second thought, maybe a "I prefer to be called Barbara" might have made her think a little, hmmm?
Please leave a comment on how you have handled comments in public. We learn by sharing!