Class Reunion Prep -- Part 2

You’ve made the big decision – you will definitely attend your class reunion! Congratulations! Now, let’s get serious. Events like this are the perfect time to take a long, hard look in the mirror and assess your image. Here are a few things to consider as you prepare to wow!

• Less of Me. Assuming you have a few weeks or months of lead time, why not take this opportunity to lose a few pounds? Reunions provide an excellent motivator to look better. Weight loss will not only boost your confidence but potentially help you be more recognizable to those long-lost friends! Set a realistic, achievable plan that you can continue long-term.

• Low hanging fruit. Get a great haircut a few days before the event. Get your teeth whitened (this alone will make you look younger!) Ladies, get a manicure and a pedicure. Men, if you have experienced hair loss, crop what you have left to a very short style – you’ll look younger. If you are going prematurely grey, get it colored (women) or get it blended with Touch of Grey (men.) These are all very easy ways to look better, healthier, and more vigorous.

• What to wear???? This is the topic we women will obsess over. Typically there’s both a casual and more dressy event, so planning two complete outfits that make us look as good as possible from all angles may require days of worry and numerous shopping trips. Speaking as an expert observer of dressing blunders, let me point out the risky areas when it comes to dressing up for these kinds of social events. 1) Don’t squeeze into clothes. 2) Don’t dress like you’re 18. 2) Don’t overdo the bling – you are not a Vegas showgirl! Depending on your figure and which class year we are talking about, gravity takes a big toll. Therefore, 3) don’t show cleavage if you are saggy, don’t show arms if saggy, don’t go strapless if it means part of you rolls over the top. And please, 4) check your rear view (everyone else will) –you may need Spanx to hold it all together! 5) Don’t immediately reach for the little black dress – it’s predictable! Use color to your best advantage and stand out a little!! In contrast to women, men tend to have the opposite problem when it comes to dressing for these events – not really caring! Guys, come on, go out and get something new and stylish that fits you perfectly. Use this as an image turning point by committing to dress better in all aspects of your life. It will change your level of success, believe me!

• Have a drinking plan.  Many of us (okay… me) have at times used alcohol to steel our nerves in potentially uncomfortable social situations like class reunions. Others of us might just see the opportunity to celebrate to excess! In either case, there’s a huge risk of embarrassing ourselves as sloppy, mean, physical (or any number of other negative drunk stereotypes). Don’t give people something to talk about! Plan to limit your alcohol consumption, and have a tall glass of water after each drink to slow you down and help keep you clear headed.

• Have a gracious exit plan.  Ever get stuck talking to someone, unable to escape a painful recounting of their entire life story? This happens a lot at reunions, so you better have a good method of dealing with these situations. Here are a couple of tips: First, be careful what you ask about. One of the worst questions you can pose goes like this, “So, what have you been up to the last 25 years?” HELLO, prepare to be bored! Plan your inquiry carefully and you’ll be better able to manage the time you spend with people. As we mentioned in Part 1, more specific questions such as “How do you spend your free time?” not only allow people to choose what they want to talk about but also manage the scope of the response so it doesn’t go on and on. Finally, practice a gracious exit by identifying a good moment to wrap up your conversation. Give a big warm smile and say, “It’s really been so great to talk with you tonight! I’ve loved catching up!” Shake hands or hug and move on!

So there you go! Attending reunions allows you to connect with your past, but more importantly offers opportunities to reestablish or make new friends! Have fun.

Are You "Class Reunion Ready"?

Ok everyone-the dreaded class reunion season is just around the corner! Who has one scheduled this summer? Show of hands please! Who is just a teeny apprehensive about going? We are here to help!

First and foremost, just get over yourself and all the insecurities class reunions can bring up. No one is the same person they were way back then including you. Decide to attend and decide to have a great time reconnecting with old friends. It’s well past time to toss all those insecurities out the window. There’s something about being with high school friends that brings all of that baggage to the surface, but try to remember, everyone is feeling the same way. Go with a great attitude of happiness and security about who you are today and delight at seeing everyone who is there. Your attitude will shine through and others will appreciate you!

Here are a few other suggestions to help overcome potential stumbling blocks you may encounter along the way.

“Honey, wanna go to my class reunion”? When your spouse won’t know anyone there, the answer probably depends on them. Do they enjoy socializing? Are they outgoing? Do they want to go? If the answer is “no” to these questions, then you may be better going alone or with a group of friends. Let’s face it-you will have a better time if you aren’t worried about your spouse sitting alone waiting on you to be ready to leave. However, by all means take your spouse if this is something they enjoy! They may learn something about you they never knew before!

“Should I know you?” We’ve all been in that situation even in our every day lives. It is awkward and uncomfortable for everyone! In this situation, it’s best to either read the name tag or ask for a name. You can say something like “it’s been so long but it’s all coming back to me now!” Try to reference something you remember about them from high school. Make a joke about yourself and your bad memory. With Facebook, you now have access to so much more information on the front end than ever before. You can “creep” (as my kids call it!) on high school friends before going and perhaps recognize them when you see them in person. However, if you don’t recognize someone, don’t stress over it. Everyone understands this happens, especially at these types of events.

“Where do you work?” That question can make some feel judged for their choices and/or accomplishments in life. Perhaps a better question to ask is “how do you spend your time?” or “what do you like to do in your spare time?” You are asking more than just “where do you work” with those questions and you may learn some very interesting things about others. They can tell you about their job if they choose, but they can also tell you so many other things about themselves. Once again you can use those “creeping” skills on Facebook to learn about your classmates beforehand and be ready with some potential conversation starters. You may find that you have common ground with someone that you never knew existed!

This is just a start to get you “class reunion ready”! We will address more potential stumbling blocks in our next blog including the biggie-what to wear! Stay tuned!

Become Your Own Chief Energy Officer

I know we all get things forwarded to our email inbox that we sometimes take the time to look at and sometimes not. But this email was forwarded to me last week and I found it so interesting, especially since this was my latest blog topic! What great timing! I want to share these excellent tips with everyone on “Becoming Your Own Chief Energy Officer”. Thanks to Greg Campbell of Walmart ISD for sharing the information. The tips came from The Energy Project (www.theenergyproject.com). Check it out for loads of tips and great information!

Becoming Your Own Chief Energy Officer

Top 10 Rituals for Performing at your best

1. Choose specific times and days to do at least three cardiovascular and two strength workouts each week.

2. Eat energy rich foods, focusing on proteins and complex carbohydrates, every three hours. A typical day should include three smaller meals and two snacks (each 100-200 calories).

3. Begin preparing for sleep at least 45 minutes prior to going to bed by quieting your body and mind. Sleep at least 7-8 hours per night.

4. When you notice yourself feeling like you’re a victim, separate the facts of the situation from the story you are telling yourself. What is the most realistically optimistic story you could tell here without denying or minimizing the facts? Put another way, how would you respond to this situation at your best?

5. When you feel triggered – pushed into negative emotions–take a deep breath and “feel” your feet. Whatever you feel compelled to do, don’t. Buy time until you feel able to truly reflect on how you’d like to respond, rather than simply reacting.

6. Designate specific times throughout the day when you ask yourself: “What energy quadrant am I in?” If you find yourself on the negative side of the quadrants, ask yourself: “What do I need to do to move myself back over to the positive side?

7. Before you go to bed, identify the most important task you could do the following day. Do the most important thing first thing in the morning by scheduling a minimum of 45 minutes and no more than 90 minutes for this task for 60 to 90 minutes. Treat this time as sacredly as you would a meeting. When you are finished, take a renewal break.

8. Set aside designated periods of time each week to reflect, strategize and focus on the big picture.

9. Set aside regularly scheduled times – at least five minutes for each one – during which you meditate or engage in a deep breathing exercise in order to develop and train the “muscle” of absorbed focus.

10. Check in with yourself once a day to reflect on this question: “How aligned is my behavior today aligned with my deepest values – the person I want to be?” If you’ve fallen short, what change do you need to make going forward?

So there you have it. We hope you find this insightful. We would love to hear your feedback and thoughts!

Displaying Personal Energy

As a leader in your company or organization, it is vitally important that you demonstrate and sustain personal energy. Why is this so important? What are the steps to take to ensure you constantly project personal energy? Watch Kathryn's latest video blog for all the answers! We would love to hear your feedback.

Happy New Year!

It’s that time of year once again when we are determined to make meaningful New Year’s resolutions that will make us happier, healthier and more productive. Here are some things you may want to consider when making your own New Year’s resolutions.

• Is your resume up to date? Now is the time to review and refresh your resume. This doesn’t need to be hard or painful. A little work in this area could pay off big for you later this year. Reflect on your recent accomplishments and add them to your resume. There are numerous sites online full of tips and that can help you get started. One example can be found at Monster.com. This could be the year that a new opportunity presents itself and you need to be prepared with that resume.
• Is your wardrobe current and relevant? You have heard it before -- dress for the job you want, not the job you have. It may be time for a closet cleanout and audit to get rid of the dead weight and to identify holes in your wardrobe. We did a blog on this topic awhile back to help with this chore. See our tips here. You can also make some money from your cast offs. Here’s another previous blog with some suggestions. See it here. If you still don’t know where to start or just need some advice to figure it all out, give us a call! We can help get your closet cleaned out, organized, and ready for the new year!
• What is one small thing you can do to improve your health? Here are a few very simple suggestions. 1) If you drink soda, switch to diet. By cutting your total calorie consumptions, and replacing your regular soda with diet soda, you are bound to lose a few pounds with minimum effort. Better yet-just switch to water! 2) Choose to park at the back of the parking lot and walk. A little extra exercise will burn more calories with a minimum of effort. 3) Make and keep doctors’ appointments. Get a physical and any other screenings you may need. Don’t ignore your body when something seems wrong. Your health should be a top priority!
• Are you networking for maximum potential? There’s a lot that goes into networking, but there’s one simple action you can do to get noticed. Hand write a personal note to let people know you appreciate them or to thank them for something they have done. Put together your own note writing kit with the items you will need such as nice stationary or note cards, a good pen and postage stamps. If your supplies are handy, you will be more likely to grab them and write that note. In today’s world of emails, texts and Facebook a hand written note says you care even more.
  

We hope this is helpful in making this the best New Year ever!

An Image Christmas List

For the most part, and within my means, I buy what I want when I want it. It's one of the few benefits of adulthood vs. childhood.  But at Christmastime, this fact becomes a problem for family members who want to give me a present. They become annoyed when I say "there's nothing that I really want or need!"  If you can relate to this, then you know it's important to think of gift ideas so our family can feel good about getting us something relevant. Here are a few items that will be easy for your loved ones to manage (little or no sizing required) and will boost your professional image at the same time.

• A New Phone Cover - The condition of your accessories is a reflection of you. We use our phones so often and may not notice how worn or scratched the cover may be looking. A sleek leather or metal case makes a great impression while it protects your phone from wear and tear. Here are some great ideas for new cases. 

• A Fine Leather Belt- The ubiquitous calf skin leather belt is what most men find in department stores. Here's an opportunity to upgrade to the next level with an exotic skin belt. Lizard, alligator and crocodile belts, with their interesting textures come with a hefty price, but also make a statement that is both classic and fashionable.

• Shoe Shine Kit - Gentlemen, unless you have a personal valet or access to a traditional shoeshine stand, you must maintain your own shoes.  Basic kits are readily available online -- why not ask for shoe trees as well so your dress shoes will keep their shape and last for years.

• A Leather Folio - You run to meetings all day, so look organized and classy at the same time with a fine leather folio for notes and documents.

• Diamond Earrings Studs for Women- Although I personally don't own real diamonds (can't go there after seeing the movie Blood Diamond), there's no doubt that those shiny stones (real or fake) make a great accessory, are always in style and provide that bit of light around the face.

• Detail My Car - Your vehicle is an extention of your image, but you're probably too busy to do much more than run through the car wash. This is a great gift for kids to provide -- let them get into the vents with a Q-tip and toothbrush. Then feel confident offering to drive your work colleagues to lunch!

• A Garment Steamer - The Jiffy Steamer is the best way to keep your clothes wrinkle free and save $$ at the dry cleaners.  Our #1 pick for clients -- see details at their website.

Looks professional for under $200.

• A Professional Watch - Professionals need an analog (not digital) watch -- you know, with hands that move around a face. Think sleek, not chunky. Look for a fine leather or metal band -- it's possible to spend thousands here, but you can get the same look for much less as well!

Image Matters wishes you a wonderful Christmas and a New Year full of  personal and professional success!

Holiday Tips for the Professional

Does going to the company Christmas party stress you out? Or maybe you are the spouse who must go to the party not knowing anyone. Should you take a hostess gift? Kathryn has all the answers! Watch our newest video blog on holiday tips for the professional. We would love to hear feedback from you!