My college roommate told me to quit sniffling and use a tissue. LOL.
I take things to heart when someone points them out so I really do try to change when I realize it’s annoying someone.
When I was younger apparently I never screwed the tops and lids of things on very tight. My H grabs items by the cap or lid typically and had many a spilled container. I now am very conscientious about tightening lids and caps on everything.
I don’t bite my nails in public any more. Still bite them, but in private.
I used to say “Umm” and “uhh” a great deal. I went to a trial training program and this was pointed out on my videos. I now concentrate and try to speak more deliberately and just pause silently if I can’t think of something to say quickly.
My husband hates my sneeze, but, unfortunately, I can’t change it.
However, I’ve noticed that I don’t sneeze much anymore, since we moved to a different state. So I guess he’s happy about that.
I’m embarrassed to admit, in high school I would end my sentences with at- as in “where is that at?” My husband (boyfriend at the time) pointed it out and I’ve stopped. Now it drives me a little batty to hear someone end a sentence that way. I’ve recently been told that I drive my SIL crazy when I can’t hear her and I say “sorry?” Maybe she would prefer “what did you say?!” What do you say when someone can’t hear or decipher what’s been said?
I often created a second half to my sentences by saying “but” all the time which came off as negative and annoying. It was suggested that unless the word is necessary, simply replace it with a ( . ) period.
I have a very serious face when I’m not smiling. I’ve had people comment on it for as long as I can remember.
Smile!
Why the look?
You’re not in a very good mood, are you?
Much later in life, I worked hard to get into the habit of wearing a slight smile on my face instead of letting it rest.
When I first got married, my mother-in-law gently suggested that I get in the habit of turning the handles of pots and frying pans so they didn’t stick out over the stove. She pointed out that when we had children it would be dangerous to have those handles sticking out where children could pull the pan down.
This one really impacted me, strange as it sounds. When I was in college, I was on residential life staff (as an R.A.) and had weekly meetings with the other R.A.s and the administration who oversaw us. I only remember her first name now, but a young admin named Lisa told me, once, that I apologized for too many little things, and it would devalue the impact of an apology if/when I ever really screwed up. That made me think – maybe I said “sorry!” for every little thing because it would make other people feel that they had to say, “no prob,” “that’s okay,” etc., rather than me really meaning the apology and learning from whatever I did wrong.
When my mom bought me “The Power of Positive Thinking” when I was a teenager, it made me realize how negative I was most of the time. I made a conscious decision to change and I did.
I corrected people’s grammar until I was told by a friend. I never even noticed I did it.
A friend recently pointed out that my posture has deteriorated. Have been working on that!
I used to say “Oops!” when I literally actually or almost bumped into people. I made a conscious effort to replace that with “Excuse me.” I think it just sounds better.
My husband used to hate it when I would come home and leave my purse on the kitchen counter. It was just the easiest place to set it down when I had my hands full of groceries or whatever else I was bringing in from the car, and then I’d forget to move it. Now I am pretty good about remembering to move it.
I’m not using the decorative towels.
S grimaces when I scrape my teeth against my fork while eating. I never knew it I did it! I have been trying not to, but it’s unconscious so I have to really focus on NOT doing it.
When I start a vaguely argumentative sentence with, “Look…” H calmly says, “I think you mean ‘listen’ which I am already doing.” Still working on just saying whatever it is with no preamble.
One day I was writing a note for my daughter - she had a Dr appt and was going to be late to high school. I started writing the note and she told me I explained too much. That was a real epiphany for me - I realized it’s best to give the minimum facts to convey what is most pertinent and then explain more if asked. I remember that frequently at work. She’s in graduate school now so I guess it really made an impact on me!
I sigh out loud for no reason. I think it may be an unconscious stress relief - kind of like blowing that smoke out when I used to smoke (yes, ex-smoker here - 32 years of blissful smoking). My husband pointed it out and now I’m aware of it (most of the time) but every now and then it slips out. I’ve caught my youngest son doing it too and I try to nicely point it out but he doesn’t take it well when I point out his faults.
@threeofthree I do the same thing. It annoys my daughter to no end because she thinks she has done something to exasperate me- but I don’t even know I’m doing it!