One of the things I love most about spring is the chance to clean out, clear out and basically de-clutter from the past winter. As my friends, family and co-workers know, I am a neat freak whose idea of time well spent is merchandising the inside of my pantry. Whatever your next goals are, “going for the gold” in an uncluttered environment is a great start towards making the most of those spring days we love.
YOU WORE IT, NOW STORE IT!
Take that fab faux fur and put it in the downstairs closet, the under the bed bin or in my case, the big red barn. You’ll free up more space for current cool looks and it is fun to get winter out again when you haven’t had to push the heavy stuff aside for six months to get to the cotton voile shirt.
CREATE A SERENE SCENE
Yes, we’ve all heard about creating a quiet spot where you can dawdle for even a minute or two. I can say from experience, if you make the space, the thoughts will come. Spring is the perfect time to make your special spot … indoors or out. It’s a nicety that soon becomes a necessity.
GET THAT DESK UNDER CONTROL
For me, there comes a point when I have to stop what I am doing and just clean up my desk before I can go any further. Practice the “five for five”. Take 5 minutes a day, 5 days a week and you’ll be amazed at how much less clutter builds up.
GET THE “BOYS” BACK IN THE GAME
Our four legged friends need sprucing up in spring, too. Clean out the old food, toss the left over shampoo bottles and raggedy collars and get them their own shiny new stuff. They’ll reward you with a woof woof!
LOVE IT OR LEAVE IT
I am much less sentimental about winter clothes as spring comes into play. This is a great time for the decisions about keep, store, donate.
GARAGE SALE, BABY!
Feeling really ambitious? Get the jump on your neighbors with a garage sale at the beginning of the summer. You’ll weed out home accents that will be someone else’s treasure. No fair rebuying new stuff right down the street, however. Unless it’s a must have!
PLANT NOW, PLAY LATER
This spring has come early for many of us, so make the most of the great weather and get that cutting garden in the ground and start your spring garden clean up early. Think of how many summer days you’ll have to play. Memorial Day will be here before we know it!
FENG SHUI YOUR WAY TO HAPPINESS
Yes, we’ve all heard that an orderly environment frees up energy and I am here to tell you it is absolutely true. Less time spent looking for keys, more time spent looking at the view. Less time spent looking for files, more time spent working on something creative. Feng shui experts say an orderly house means your spirit can soar. Who doesn’t want a bit of that, especially come spring!
HAPPY DAYS!
Snowmobiling in Vermont. Yes, it is me under all that gear. Love those hand warmers!
Winter Sunday are the perfect time to get your groove on with something a little different from the usual weekday routine.
Don’t wait for a vacay or staycay … try out these seven ways to make the most of my favorite day of the week!
Sentimental – get together with a friend whose birthday you couldn’t celebrate on the actual day. Sunday brunch is much more relaxing.
Solo – get the quiet time you crave and start the book, catch up on mags or just snooze on the couch. Restore your spirits, with no guilt!
Sexy – too busy for your special guy? Take 5 and make up for those missed moments. An hour alone can mean all the difference!
Sporty – if you’re a sporty girl, you’ll feel much better about life and yourself if you keep up with something you love. If Sunday is your only day to hit the courts or go for a run, then “Just Do It”. Your grace points will carry over ’till Monday, too.
Super – so you want to try something new and it’s been on your To Do list forever? Pencil it in for a Sunday start and you’re much more likely to keep up with it.
Social - I find Sundays are good days for having friends over because you have the weekend to get into the prep groove and everyone is pretty relaxed
Serene - It’s so great to go into the week feeling like you’ve had some quiet time to get things done, chill out and plan for the days ahead. I am best when I have my To Do list ready for the week and love to do that on Sunday. Ok, so call me nuts, but it works for me.
But wait … there are Eight ….
Spiritual - for some of us, Sunday’s mean church. If you’re in that crowd, Sundays are a day to count your blessings. If you’re a believer but not an attender, Sundays are a day to reflect on all the things you have to be grateful for.
The great thing about Sundays is we get one each week! What a gift!!
Yoga is a great way to "breathe" into the new year.
If the thought of New Year’s resolutions makes you hyperventilate, take a beat and relax. Here are seven simple tips for getting into the groove. Go on, smile!
1. Take 10 minutes and list all your major accomplishments from last year. Great for setting a positive tone and the first step to figuring out your next goals. You’ll be amazed at how much you have done in a year.
2. Take 20 minutes and list your goals for the year. I break mine down into groups: Spiritual, Health & Well Being, Family & Friends, Business, Home, Travel. Try to be specific (i.e. Pilates, weights 4 times weekly works better for me than Work Out More). Got a weight loss goal? Make your ideal weight the goal and go for that instead of the weight loss. Try to assign projects to a specific time so you don’t load all your goals into one part of the year. Check in monthly to see your progress. Empowering, energizing and fast!
3. Set aside 10 minutes in your day to do something you want. I like to do readings in the morning when I get up. I am reading Wayne Dyer’s Change Your Thoughts, Change Your Life book now, but I have sevearl others nearby that I can jump to when the mood strikes. If you do it for a few weeks, it becomes a habit. Great for a grounded start to your day.
4. Book your doctors, hair and workout appointments 6 months out. You’ll get VIP treatment if you need to change an appt and it is usually easier to switch up than to squeeze in. This takes much less time in the long run and you can look at your schedule and see that you have actually planned in time for what matters to you.
5. Clear your clutter. Archive old online files, clean out clothes closets, write your holiday thank you notes. Put any “clean up” activities on your Jan goals. This leaves the next 11 months for moving forward and you can do that so much more easily when energy is freed up.
6. Get jumpin’ on some kind of new activity. Pick up a new book, tune in to a new TV show, try a new recipe. The newness is what counts.
7. Shop your closet, your library and your pantry. If you’re like me, you probably have clothes you haven’t worn, books you haven’t read and food you have saved for a “rainy day”. Use the snowy days of winter to take a look at what you have and either use it or lose it. By spring you’ll be lighter in a lot of ways!
A WISH IS A DREAM UNTIL YOU WRITE IT DOWN.
WHEN YOU WRITE IT DOWN IT BECOMES A GOAL.
WHEN IT BECOMES A GOAL YOU ARE HALF WAY THERE!
Lord & Taylor Holiday Window
I love the holidays and this year I am starting a new tradition of writing down some of my favorite memories. Fun to go back and look at later and a great reminder that holidays are happy days!
1. Store windows! I wait for them all year and they never cease to amaze me. This year my favorites were Lord & Taylor’s in New York. Traditional, fun and filled with old world details.
Lord & Taylor Holiday Window
2. Christmas trees! I am a sucker for a great tree and my favorite this year was the tree at Lincoln Center in New York. Suspended in mid-air, filled with larger than life classic decorations like popcorn and paper garland … this one is a treasure!
Lincoln Center Tree
3. Holiday Opera! I love the opera and had a special treat of seeing Madame Butterfly at the Met in New York this year. Unforgettable and a perfect way to celebrate the season.
Madame Butterfly at the Met
4. Gingerbread houses! When I get old and gray I am going to do these as a hobby. In the meantime, I will travel far and wide to see these wondrous feats of design. Loved the ones on The Today Show in Dec and here’s another great one at The Woodstock Inn in Vermont.
Gingerbread House at The Woodstock Inn
5. Caroling with Santa and his elves! Yes, it’s corny, but so much fun. Santa and his elf visited our Newport store for the Bellevue Holiday Stroll and we sang up a storm! Champagne helps.
Santa & Elf at our Bellevue Ave Holiday Stroll
6. Snow! I always dream of a white Christmas and this year we were lucky to have just enough in Vermont to make it postcard pretty!
Snow!
7. Horses! These love bunnies get all wooly in winter and peppermints make them feel festive! Here’s Gary with Parcifal.
Peppermints, yum!
8. Friends! I am a Dec birthday baby and this means even more celebrations! Here are friends at my birthday dinner. Getting together with people we don’t see that often is one of my favorite things about the holidays.
Birthday dinner with friends
9. Treats! Wouldn’t be the holidays without eggnog, cookies and caviar. I try to add in a few healthy things, like the fabulous clementines from the Woodstock Farmer’s Market.
Woodstock Farmer's Market
10. Church! We are lucky to have a beautiful church in Woodstock … Our Lady of the Snows. Here is the altar decorated for Christmas Eve mass. What better way to celebrate the real meaning of Christmas.
Christmas Eve Mass at Our Lady of the Snows
My nephew Nicholas loves Christmas! Isn't he a love bug!
One of the best things about the holidays is the chance to connect with family and friends you don’t see that often. Here are some quick thoughts on how to find and keep an attitude of gratitude during this “most wonderful time of the year.”
1. Love up the little ones – When it comes right down to it, kids are the ones who make the holidays fun, so keep this in mind when you are dashing around the house chasing after your brother’s sugar amped darlings. They can only run for so long!
2. Giving really is better than receiving – Craving the latest I Pad or platform booties? Turn that energy into choosing gifts that mean something for the recipients. My psychic sources tell me what you send out comes back. It’s good karma, baby!
3. Make your own holiday traditions – Inside all of us are things that we feel make the holidays special. Yes, bringing fourteen desserts to your Mom’s house may be what she thinks is special, but allow yourself a jumping off point and start making your own traditions. Those are the ones you’re likely to keep on with in the long run, and that’s what makes holidays happy days.
4. Find a little time to give back – From popping a dollar in the Salvation Army bell ringer’s cup to adopting a family at Christmas, when you make time, you find time. Sounds corny? Try it and see.
5. Holiday magic starts with you! Imagine letting all your jaded feelings drop to the wayside for a day, while you get into the holiday spirit. Forget the “too much to do” and “it’s all too commercial” feelings. Holidays are what you make of them. You can choose! Start with a pinch of gratitude and a dash of happiness. Mix in excitement, new traditions and blend your choice of family and friends. You’ve got holiday magic!
Courtney, Kristen & me on location in Palm Beach for our Spring Catalog photo shoot. Our AM girls are lovely ladies!
I see a lot in my travels and often it’s the little things that people do that make a big difference.
Watching my “sisters” at airports, salons, restaurants and the local market, plus seeing the fab new Pan Am TV series has made me stop to consider what “a lady always does” …. or does not!
A LADY ALWAYS …
1. Says please and thank you. So simple and so effective. Practiced often, it becomes effortless and is a mark of true style.
2. Gives compliments, not criticism. Most people are “krazy for kuddos”. Bet you are, too!
3. Checks her look in the mirror … and that includes the rear view! Don’t let lines make your lineup.
4. Turns off her cell phone before church, concerts and movies. Heard one at the Met Opera last week. Really? Right before the big aria? Don’t be that girl.
With my handsome friend John seeing Anna Bolena at the Met Opera. Cell phones off that evening!
5. Follows her host’s lead when deciding whether to order a cocktail or dessert. When it doubt, wait it out.
6. Does whatever it takes to get the job done. Make it look easy and you’ll always keep them coming back for more! Much cooler than the “Poor Me” approach.
7. Makes an effort with her makeup and her clothes. Leave the grunge and go for the gold. All the best girls do.
8. Starts the day with a smile on her face, even if she has murder in her heart. When you put on a happy face, your chances to shine are multiplied tenfold. I like those odds!
9. Is kind to animals and children. Get your Super Woman vibe on and stand up for those who can’t necessarily do the same.
10. Enjoys the experience without the excess. So much fun to order the croissant … so cool to just enjoy a few bites.
Lost little ducklings at Bybrook on their way to find their mommy. They reunited this weekend!
Especially when the day includes the words “Hurricane Irene is coming”. We knew it wouldn’t be business as usual, but even we were surprised at how things unfolded.
Monday – talk of the hurricane moving into Florida had us planning to board up our Worth Ave storefront and hoping for just a “glance” from Irene. Wind, rain and nothing major there … whew! But wait … it was headed north.
Wednesday – all systems on alert as we were told to plan for manadatory evacuations of Newport and Middletown, RI, where our corporate offices are located. Sample Sale week also going on at the same time? Of course. On Monday, looked like a wonderful weather week and the forecast was for sunny weather thru the sale days. Perfect. By Wednesday, we were wondering how early we would need to close on the weekend. What a difference a day makes.
Friday – made plans to close the Sample Sale early on Saturday and board up the Newport Bellevue Avenue store. Most of the talk around town was about stocking up and hunkering down. We decided to drive up to Woodstock after the sale, just to “check on things” and have a low key weekend. Right.
Saturday – things looked pretty quiet, but the highway signs saying “Severe weather expected tomorrow – stay off the roads” gave us an ominous feeling.
Sunday – rain began the night before and by mid- morning was in full swing. One of Gary’s more memorable quotes: “Come outside and see the brook running! You’ll never see it like this again!” That’s the understatement of the year. I hope we NEVER see it running like that again. Our lovely little brook (as featured in my last blog) had turned into a wild child, and that was the beginning of an afternoon and evening we’ll not soon forget. Running inside to check our basement, we found water beginning to seep in at a brisk rate. Water table high? The water was coming up from the floor. Gary, ever the quick thinker, said, “quick, let’s use the carpet cleaner to suck up the water.” Eight hours and 1500 gallons later, we had become the deck team who were hell bent on saving our recently finished basement. Or at least, saving what we could. No time for a break (tricky when Heinecken’s are involved). No time to do anything but keep going and hope the rain would stop. And finally, it did. Gary’s best comment came after two beers and eight hours with the carpet cleaner. “I feel like am married to this thing. We’re bonded”. As for me, going from reading the Sept issue of Vogue one minute to swabbing the decks the next was something that gave me new appreciation for rubber clogs, however unfashionable. The rising water now at a more manageble state, we took a quick walk around the property to survey the damage. Barns ok? Check. Trees intact? Check. But wait … our two small bridges going across the pond had been tossed aside like twigs. Further investigation found a huge stone that was part of our primary brook bridge had been actually moved down stream by the rushing water. Hard to imagine the force that could move a half ton stone. That’s going to be something to fix! Throughout the afternoon and evening we thought “we can’t be the only ones going thru this” and we were so right.
Monday – bright sunshine … what a difference a day makes. The air felt dry, the leaves crisp and this seemed like the precursor of a perfect Vermont fall. Gary went down the road to our South Woodstock General Store to find out the news of the town (just like in the movies, the General Store really is the place to find out everything you need to know and sometimes more than you want to know). Roads blocked into town, trees down, power lines damaged … but wait there’s more. The Woodstock Inn, our flagship for the town, had its whole first floor flooded and had to close. Our beloved Woodstock Farmer’s Market, who had just completed a fabulous expansion, was completed flooded and lost everything. Simon Pearce, makers of glorious glass and the signature dining locale in the area, lost the bridge leading to their place, along with half of their glass blowing facility. With no power in the area and roads blocked, we decided to spend the day picking up and drying out. Thanks to industrial strength de-humidifiers, we were able to dry out the basement and assess the work ahead. A new floor is certainly in order, and so our Labor Day weekend will include “redecorating” that we certainly had not planned for even a few days earlier. However, I’m always game for a new look!
Tuesday – we had heard that the roads were most likely clear enough to make our way out of town and back to Newport, so we set forth. Driving into downtown Woodstock was like being in a scene from a movie. No matter what you have seen on TV or the internet, nothing prepares you for seeing flood damage first hand. Schoolyards and golf courses filled with muddy silt, horse barns washed down stream, bridges hanging in mid air, road rails and trees bent over like dominoes. And then we saw our friends’ house by the river. What was once an idyllic white house with a picket fence and lovely garden was now a mud pit with the stone terrace completely gone and the first floor flooded out. To quote my Texan friend, “things are really messed up, but we’ve saved the dog, the art and the Scotch, so we’ll manage!” And you thought Vermonters were hardy.
Friday – drove up last night and jumped into repair and restoration with gusto. Our “horsey friends” in the area are fast at work vacuuming up mud and having end of summer sales to get people together. Sounds like fun … but let me get back to you after we can cross our bridges! Then, again, riding boots at 20% off? I’ll paddle over! Apparently, me and lots of other folks. The event seems to be packed and that’s great to see.
Saturday – when the guys in The Godfather had troubles, they went to the mattresses. When Vermonters have troubles, they head to the kitchens, or in some cases, to the barbecue pit. Leave it to my southern friend Carol and her dapper husband James to plan the perfect Labor Day post Irene celebration. A pig roast. Stop by and find friends, family and great food … and everyone discussing which roads have reopened and where the local volunteer efforts will take us next. This is a community that has come together in amazing ways. From food to clothing to showers to jobs, it’s been about sharing and caring and as our local priest said at Sunday mass “we’re really one big family and this week, we’ve shown that.”
What a difference a day makes. From sun to rain to disaster and back. From Florida to Newport to Vermont. From messed up to fixed up. From us to you, we say a big thanks!
We are so grateful for family, friends and all of you who texted, called, emailed and kept on doing that until you reached us. In Vermont, phone service and emails are tricky even on a good day and we can’t thank you enough for caring and continuing to ask: R U OK?
What a difference a day makes, and we plan to make the most of this one!
Happy Labor Day from Angela & Gary at Bybrook Farm, South Woodstock, VT!
Irises at Bybrook Farm
There’s something about spending time in Vermont that reminds me of what a good old fashioned summer should be. Walks in the woods, swimming in the pond (or just watching), lightning bugs at night and strawberry shortcake. This month our garden at Bybrook Farm is in its full glory. Here are some scenes from this special moment in time. Hope it inspires you to enjoy the things that say “summer” to you!
Here’s my version of a great summer weekend in Woodstock.
YOGA GIRL – I love yoga for a “stretch” from pilates and at the Woodstock Fitness Center, we are lucky to have a light-filled studio and fantastic instructors. It’s a serene scene.
Yoga with a view at Woodstock Fitness Center
GARDEN GIRL – The first thing I do when we arrive is get out the garden gloves and nippers to see what I can trim up. Then it’s on to cutting flowers and we’ve got a big choice from “the wild things” to the peonies we transplanted from Newport. What’s blooming now? Lilies and hydrangeas!
Lillies & Hydrandgeas at Bybrook Farm
SHOP GIRL – The Village Green in downtown Woodstock is the center for farmer’s markets, artists fairs and weddings. The one-of-a-kind shops are fun to browse and I always find a little something to add to my closet. I like 37 Central for great jeans and Taylor Lauren for designer vintage.
GOURMET GIRL – We are so lucky to have the fabulous Woodstock Farmer’s Market, a spot where you can find an unbelievable range of fruits, veggies, cheeses, teas and even fresh seafood. Plus, their plant section is filled with unusual varieties of special things for the garden.
Woodstock Farmer's Market
CHEF GIRL – I don’t profess to be a gourmet chef, but I do have my specialties. This weekend I am making my signature corn, tomato and basil salad to go with grass fed burgers that Gary is grilling up. Strawberry shortcake for dessert, with fresh picked berries from the Farmer’s Market. I found these cool melamine bowls and trays from Le Cadeaux … they look great and are easy care. Also, check out Le Cigale for wonderful Provencal tablecloths and napkins.
Le Cadeaux Bowl & Tray
PET GIRL – Alfie & Teddie are our “rescued” black and tan King Charles Spaniels. They love Vermont and get very excited when we tell them it’s time for the drive up. Their favorite walk is out to the pond to help us feed the trout, which have become pets, much to Gary’s dismay.
View from the Guest House and Barn from the pond
PARTY GIRL – Parties in our neck of the woods tend to be casual, with a dash of something special. We take advantage of the great weather to entertain outdoors whenever we can. Here’s one of my favorite friends, Drum Horse Harley celebrating his birthday in style!
Birthday Party for a Friend
Here’s one of my other friends as we get ready for a ride before the party.
Wilhelm is majestic and a love. Wonderful to ride!
LOUNGE GIRL – We took the first floor of our barn and turned it into a “Summer Room” which is perfect for parties, flower arranging and you guessed it, lounging.
Summer Room at Bybrook Farm
I keep a lot of my Murano glass collection out here, too. The bright colors look great in filtered sunlight.
The white cabinet has a Murano glass collection and the Austrian chandelier adds sparkle and kitsch. Why not?
I even hung a small chandelier in the “bar under the stairs.” Love!
Every bar needs good light. Why not a chandelier?
BYBROOK GIRL – Our farm is set on a brook, hence the name “Bybrook Farm”. Like Buddha said, if you want to find peace, just go sit by a brook.
The brook is the place to be in summer!
GRATEFUL GIRL – In a place with so many wonderful spots, this one is a favorite. It’s right near the bridge in the middle of ferns and Gary laid a small stone terrace that follows down from little stone steps. We placed a small bench there. It’s cool even in the heat of summer!
Serenity bench by the brook
LET ME KNOW HOW YOU CELEBRATE SUMMER SENSATIONS!
Ready for dinner
No, I don’t mean dine and dash, although I have friends who made that into an art form in college. I’m talking about the art of beautiful table manners. Sounds old fashioned, but knowing your way around the table is the new modern standard for judging whether your hot dates gets to make a second appearance or gets “thrown off the island”. If the thought of a business evening with the boss of a fancy dinner party strike fear in your heart, check out these simple tips for dining with dash.
TOP TEN TABLETOP TURN OFFS
1. Talking with your mouth full – what you have to say would be so much more appealing if I wasn’t fixated on your food!
2. Wadding up your used napkin and throwing it on your plate – a sure way to say “I ain’t got no class”.
This turns a nice into a yikes.
3. Cigarette breath – need I say more? Super Smile Oral Rinse. Go for it! Better yet, stash the ciggie for good.
4. Making a scene to get a table – if it’s ok for George Clooney to wait patiently at the Cannes Film Festival for a bite to eat, it’s ok for you.
5. Tipping less than 10 – 10%, that is. Yes, 20% is the norm, but c’mon now. Even if your experience is horrible, give the guy a break and leave a little something.
6. Holding your knife and fork caveman style – you’ve seen them. The ones who look so chic and then ruin it all when they pick up their silver. Don’t be that person! See my good sport husband, Gary, called in to demo the “what’s what” on dining.
Cutting your food this way is not cool.
This is the European way and easy to do.
7. Hugging your plate - your plate is probably not going to fly off the table, so sit up straight instead of hunching over it like a descendant of Attila the Hun.
8. Slurping or burping – don’t let those sounds come out of your mouth! Not for soup, not for coffee, not for nothin’! If we wanted to hear you making sippy cup noises, we would have given you one.
9. You’re finished, but your silver sends a different message – Place used silver together, blade handle in; fork on the left. Fork and knife at the 2:45 position? That says you’re still enjoying your meal. In a nice restaurant, you could wait hours for the waiter to clear your plate if your silverware is placed like that.
Leave your silver like this and you may wait for your plate to be cleared.
Perfect way to say "I'm finished".
10. Elbows off, egghead - I hate to see a cute guy with one elbow on the table leaning over, shoveling food into his mouth with the fork in his other hand . Charming? Not.
More interested in the food than you.
TOP TEN TABLETOP TURN ONS
1. Turn off your cell phone - Turn your phone to vibrate or keep it out of sight. This means no calls or texts, unless urgent. We want to feel like the main attraction.
2. Leave your napkin lightly folded next to your plate or in your seat if you get up to excuse yourself - fold your napkin into a soft triangle while you’re away from the table.
Napkin to the side, lightly folded.
3. Excuse me while I powder my nose - yes, we want to know you’re not rushing off to choke to death. No, we don’t need other details. Truly, less is more here.
4. I’ll have what she’s having - remember that great Mey Ryan scene? Imitation is the most sincere form of flattery. Especially effective at business gatherings.
5. What are you known for? - great chefs want to send out their signature dishes, so ask your waiter “what’s good tonight”? You’re bound to learn something.
6. Can’t make it tonight, but see ya soon! - how would you feel if you made dinner and I forgot to call and say I couldn’t make it? Enough said. Plus, good restaurants keep a list of “no shows” and they’re the ones likely to receive a “sorry, we’re booked until 10:00pm” on a busy night.
7. I couldn’t POSSIBLY have dessert - instead, let friends with a sweet tooth order what they want or have one for the table. Then just take a bite. Easy.
If you see silver placed like this, it is for dessert.
8. Gimme a wow! - if you’ve had a fabulous dining experience, the restaurant wants to know. They’re used to hearing complaints, so speak up when you have something good to say. Tweet, post and even more original, pick up the phone and call them.. Your praise could make their next souffle their finest!
Say cheers when you like it. Hold you glass by the stem, not the bowl.
9. I’d love to help with the dishes - however tempting to walk away … step back, baby. No matter how late the evening, at least offer to help clear the table. Even your control freak hostess will may you do that.
10. No, anything you make will be great! – can’t eat this … don’t love that … just ate at that restaurant this last week. Sound familiar? “Don’t ask Donnie” will be your nickname if you keep this up. It’s one meal. Think positive!
I love gardening at Bybrook Farm. What turns you on?
You’re out with friends and having a great time. Then suddenly someone does or says something that completely changes the game. Whether it’s martini madness that causes the faux pas or just a carelessly worded joke, there are so many ways to turn me off and luckily, turn me on! Here is Part One of a series about ETQ do’s and don’ts. This one focuses on the big picture.
TOP TEN TURN OFFS
1. Bullying in school, work or play - it doesn’t end with the classroom. Bullying can occur throughout life and it’s time to have the gumption to stand up and shout for what you believe in. Maybe that’s the real meaning behind “walk softly and carry a big stick”.
2. Bashing patriotism - there’s a reason our country is called “the land of the free”. We’re lucky enough to have a foundation that allows for unlimited points of view. Got a complaint? Don’t just sit there … do something!
3. Graffiti on bridges and walls – I visited Aix on Provence in France and this beautiful town has so many spots covered by graffiti you would have thought it was a town art project. I love it on canvas, but not on the Town Hall.
4. Taking my parking space – is it absolutely necessary to jump the shark for the spot?
5. Lowering the IQ bar to ground zero – c’mon, producers. We really are smarter than what you give us to watch on most programming.
6. Whining and complaining – I live for positive energy and you can, too. Want to rain on my parade? Take that storm elsewhere.
7. Sending nasty emails or texts – fun for a moment…hurts for a lifetime. Think before you hit “send”.
8. Dressing like a clown – I’m all for individual style, as long as “style” is part of the equation. Too tight, too short, too sheer … why go there?
9. Being a Nancy Narcissist – Maintaining an air of privacy and a sense of mystery are the new cool ways to behave. TMI is just that … too much information. As Elvis said … “a little less conversation…” will make you even more fab.
10. Insulting waiters & other service providers – Is it really their fault the fish is too salty or your flight was cancelled? You’re taking it out on the wrong person, in most cases.
TOP TEN TURN ONS
1. Say “please” and even “pretty please” - one word, so simple and so effective. Try it as the precursor to your next request.
2. Do the ordinary in an extraordinary way – make the mundane into a life ritual and celebrate the simple art of being in the moment. I like to call it “curating your life”.
3. Celebrate your own individual style – my mantra for living your best life is based around a journey with an ever changing destination. It’s fun to look back and see how your “life style” (as in interests, passions and expressions) have evolved over the years.
4. Be nice … it’s the new naughty - isn’t it the best when someone does something nice for you out of the blue? Makes you want to do the same!
5. Send out positive energy – good vibrations beget more good vibrations. You can send “sting rays” or you can send “sun rays”. Sun rays feel better both coming and going.
6. Hold the door for a lady – never take this for granted. When it happens to you, let them know you LOVE that!
7. Offer to babysit, make dinner, do the laundry – it’s the little things that score big points in most relationships. Sisters and brothers, listen up. It’s not just mom and dad we’re talking about here.
8. Apology accepted – the fastest way to defuse a a hot air situation is the simple act of saying “I’m sorry”. And believe me, we all have stuff to apogologize for. It takes a lot less energy in the long run than carrying around the weight of a grudge.
9. Give back – take a little of your “me” and focus on the “we” of the world. It doesn’t have to be big … just do what moves you.
10. We started with “please”. We’re ending with “thank you”. When put together, the two best words in the dictionary. Merci beaucoup for reading this post!
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