Wherever you go, you will always encounter “hot air balloons”, or boastful people. They carry themselves as if they are gods and goddesses. Pride has been “okay-ed” by power, riches and fame. Pride cannot be unmade, but it can be moderately used, just like what normal people do. In the case of the arrogant ones, pride sustains their lives. Without pride, they are nothing more than hollow barrels.

It’s not saying that you should loathe proud people, because whoever they are, they still deserve proper treatment from everyone. Encountering people like this is inevitable, so here are some things you might want to consider for you to be able to still live peacefully when surrounded by arrogant people who oftentimes get on your nerves:

• If ignoring them won’t work, just muster all the patience you got and pretty sure you’ll be able to take whatever these guys throw at you. Be patient whenever your workmate boasts about his new car. Be patient when your neighbor’s bragging about his new LCD TV. Be patient when your mother-in-law tells you that she’s gone to France or Germany or any place where they don’t speak English. Patience is the safest weapon you can fight these situations with.
• If you don’t want to play Mr. Nice Guy, then you can show your annoyance the subtle way, and that is through not feeding their ego. When you give them the satisfaction, the more they will go boasting. Whenever your classmate is talking about his new iPad, just give him a nod. You can’t go, “Wow dude! That is the coolest thing I’ve ever seen. I wish I had one,” when deep inside you feel like shoving the iPad in his face. Hypocrisy is poison.
• Don’t play their game. Arrogance is their game, not yours. You don’t have to be ahead of them so they’ll realize that they’re attitude is killing you. If you do, reading this is pointless, because you’ll end up being one of them, and you won’t even know it. Be humble at all times.
• Go with the flow. Whatever happens, just go with it. Don’t take the issue too seriously because you’re just tormenting yourself whenever you think about it. Just play it smooth.
• Don’t be too tight. Who knows, this arrogant person you’re dealing with might just be in need of friends, attention, or care. Even if boastful people are the way they are, they might be having certain insecurities that they need to overcome. You can help them become better, if your ears are always there to listen.
• Tell them the truth. It just feels good when you don’t have to hide any feeling from anyone. If the proud guy’s your friend, then it is easier to be more frank. You can tell him that what he’s doing is not pleasing people in any way.
• Learn how to accept. If living with these people is the real deal, well, all that’s left for you to do is accept them for who they are. After having told them the truth, it’s up to them if they will listen to you or not. As for you, you can learn to accept, adjust and understand. Although doing these three is quite a stretch, you can do everything when you have patience.