Smile
5 Reasons to Smile on World Smile Day!
Have you ever heard the saying, “Smile and the whole world smiles with you”? Well, there is one day each year where this statement couldn’t be truer.
In 1963, Harvey Ball founded the most recognizable symbol of good will and good cheer on the face of the plant – the much loved “smiley face”. Over the years, Ball became concerned that the true meaning of this over-commercialized symbol became lost in the marketplace. Therefore, in 1999 he declared the first Friday of October “World Smile Day” – a day devoted to smiles and kindness throughout the world.
Following are just a few reasons to participate in this joyous event:
- Improve your looks. – If you are looking for an inexpensive way to better your appearance, all you have to do is smile. Smiles have a way of lighting up your face and creating a twinkle in your eyes.
- Infect others. – Smiles are contagious. Even an infant can communicate with a toothless smile and cause a total stranger to melt with glee.
- Create a rapport. – Whether in a group or one-on-one, when you smile at others, without using words, you are saying, “I think you are a-okay.”
- Lift your spirits. – Feeling stressed or down? A smile can release endorphins and improve your state of mind. Furthermore, if you smile at someone else, you make them feel good, even without knowing how they are feeling inside.
- Create smile lines. – Mark Twain once said, “Wrinkles should merely indicate where smiles have been.” If we must have lines on our face as we age, smile lines are much more attractive than frown lines and they reveal a great deal about our character.
So go ahead and smile and then enjoy the long-term benefits of improved health, many friendships, greater success…and watch the whole world smile with you.
Wishing you much happiness and success!
Patricia Rossi, America’s Etiquette and Protocol Coach, www.patriciarossi.com
5 Tips on International Body Language Etiquette
Are you planning to travel to another country where you don’t know the language? Planning to get by using gestures? You’d best be careful, as various gestures have different meanings in foreign countries. You could give someone the “a-ok” sign outside the US and end up getting yourself beat up. Following are a few examples of gestures that have various meanings.
- Sit in the front seat – If you hail a cab in Australia, you will offend the driver if you get in the back seat. They consider everyone equal and will be insulted if someone doesn’t sit in the front seat with them.
- Don’t cross your legs – In middle-eastern countries it is offensive to point the bottom of your foot at someone. Physically and spiritually, they consider this the lowest part of the body. If you cross your legs and the bottom of your foot is pointing toward someone, you unintentionally offended them.
- Stick your tongue out – If someone stuck their tongue out at you in the US, you might be offended. But, in Tibet, this is considered a friendly greeting.
- Be careful giving a “thumbs up” – In the mid-west, giving a thumbs up means “good job” but in the middle east, it means you want to be intimate with someone. Whoa! That could be awkward.
- Spit on the top of your head – In some countries, this would be very offensive, but in Kenya, if an old woman spits on your head, it is considered a blessing. Hmm!
These are just a few gestures that have various meanings in different countries. There are many others, so it is a good idea to pick up a travel guide in advance of visiting another country and brush up on the body language of that location.
Wishing you safe travels, much happiness, and success!
Patricia Rossi, America’s Etiquette and Protocol Coach, www.patriciarossi.com
National Good Neighbor Day
Celebrate National Good Neighbor Day September 28th
“National Good Neighbor Day” is a day to acknowledge our neighbors that we so appreciate, by doing something a little extra special. Being a good neighbor is such an important aspect of our social character and contributes to what makes our country so great!
Some of my best memories over the past 15 years of living in my neighborhood are the fun dinner, Birthday, and barbecue party celebrations that we all have shared. My favorite neighbors and their children have added a richness to my life . So reach out and get to know your neighbors better, they will leave deposits in the hearts of your entire family and you will do the same for them. Following are a few ideas of ways to celebrate your neighbors.
- Make an effort to get to know a new neighbor – have them over for coffee.
- Bake cookies and share them with your neighbors.
- Offer to do something helpful for a neighbor in need.
- Arrange a dinner party with your closest neighbors.
- Organize a block party.
Enjoy!
Wishing you much happiness and success!
Patricia Rossi, America’s Etiquette and Protocol Coach, www.patriciarossi.com
Tailgate Party Food
4 Tailgate Party Food Ideas
No matter if you are a fan of football, basketball, hockey, or racing – where there is a stadium, you can bet there will be tailgate parties preceding the event. All you have to do is put on your game day jersey, select the right mix of people, add a variety of food and you are bound to have a great time.
The key to satisfying everyone is to offer an assortment of foods. Finger foods are the easiest to share with a group of friends since they don’t necessarily require utensils, a plate, or even a seat. A napkin will suffice.
Talk with your group and decide who will bring what items – of course, enough to share with everyone. Include: appetizers/snacks, main dishes, desserts and beverages.
Here are a few ideas:
- Appetizers/Snacks: chips, dips, salsas, party mix
- Main Dish: subs, burgers, hot dogs, chicken wings (slather them with a new flavor of wing sauce – different from what was offered last season).
- Desserts: cookies, cupcakes, fun size candy bars
- Beverages: (If it’s cold outside) hot apple cider, hot chocolate, or coffee in a large thermos. (If it’s still hot out) favorite cold beverages in a cooler of ice.
Remember to bring a trash bag to clean up after your tailgate party. Have fun…Go team!
Wishing you much happiness and success!
Patricia Rossi, America’s Etiquette and Protocol Coach, www.patriciarossi.com
ROB SCHWEITZER: Making A Difference
There are people you meet in life that leave an impression just by being who they are.One such person is my cameraman, Rob Schweitzer.
He has taped many Manners Minute segments at many locations across the Tampa Bay area. Somehow, Rob always maintained the same even temperament, good nature, and professional dedication. We had a motley crew of director, Sandie McKenna, stylist and make-up artist, Wendi Braswell, and me. Time spent with an Etiquette Expert, Fashion Expert, and a Producer — probably not a man’s ideal day at the office.
Rob never let on if he was disgruntled with any of us.
When I first started taping for television, my voice would shake, my lips would twitch and I sported a perpetual sweat mustache. Again, Rob never showed agitation or weariness, even when we had to stop and roll for the twentieth time. He would say, “We have to shoot again because a plane went by, or, I hear a funny buzzing noise.” I know he was just trying to save me from being discouraged and embarrassed.
I have continued to shoot TV segments and have grown. I love taping and teaching people to be more at ease, comfortable, and kind in all professional & personal situations — never realizing that’s exactly what Rob was teaching me the entire time. He is a gentleman and does the right thing even when no one is looking.
Rob, I appreciate your patience, watching the way you treat others and even the colorful vocabulary you let fly once in a blue moon. Your hard work and humble nature directed my steps and shined a light on a path that I could have never found on my own.
Rob
is an avid cyclist,
enjoys hiking,
running marathons,
red wine,
classical music and he’s a
Parrot Head (Jimmy Buffet).
Our friend April Simpson found out I was writing this post for Rob and this is what she said.
“He is the backbone in the daily production of Daytime and one of the hardest working men in television. That show, it’s lighting and production value — looks so good because of him. He has been there on that set since we started Daytime 10 years ago.” – April Simpson, co-creator of Daytime
Building Professional & Personal Relationships
5 Tips on How to Shine at the Office
Have you ever noticed that negativity can be contagious? But a positive attitude is captivating. One will bring you down, while the other is uplifting; both are noticed by co-workers and bosses. Your co-workers will enjoy working and socializing with you if your behavior is upbeat. Managers will be more apt to promote you when you keep a proper perspective, use good manners, and maintain an optimistic attitude.
Here are a few basic tips to help you shine at the office.
- Acknowledge your co-workers. – Even on the busiest of days, be sure you take a moment to acknowledge your co-workers’ achievements and special days (a job well done, promotion, birthday, wedding, etc). It is important to let people know that they matter.
- Dress for success. – Be sure to wear appropriate clothing at work. If you are attending a business luncheon or meeting clients after work and aren’t sure what to wear, always dress up rather than down. It is better to be overdressed and give a more professional appearance.
- Avoid creating logjams. – When in the office kitchen, don’t stand around talking with your co-workers in front of the refrigerator, coffee pot, or water cooler, causing others to have to weave in and around you to get what they want. Help yourself and then move out of the way.
- Use good email etiquette. – Always read and reread your emails before hitting the send button. Make sure it says exactly what you want it to say and take the extra time to use spell check and proper grammar.
- Silence your cell phone. – When you get to work, make sure your cell phone is on vibrate. No one wants to hear your favorite hip hop song going off numerous times day in and day out.
You can easily shine in the office by always remembering to treat others as you yourself would want to be treated. Keep in mind that the right attitude while working for someone else will ultimately work to your benefit.
Wishing you much happiness and success!
Patricia Rossi, America’s Etiquette and Protocol Coach, www.patriciarossi.com