Class Act
It's only been a few days but I'm still annoyed by a particular scene from the documentary, Always at the Carlyle. Honestly, it's disheartening, Dwight Owsley who had been the head concierge for more than thirty years retired in 2014 and his reason for leaving was a sad one. He spoke of Old New York. A time where dignity, class, modesty and kindness were very much apart of the American culture. In the end, I couldn't help but think why are these ideals no longer apart of our society? I once received a rose and a letter from the maintenance staff at my apartment complex, all I did was smile and said good morning. If common courtesies are no longer apart of our day to day routine, then we have a serious problem! Below are ten old but still relevant ways of being a classy and a decent person!
Strong and Confident Posture - Good posture shows respect to others.
Define Your Sense of Style - A black slack and white blouse go a long way. If you're not really sure what your style is stick to the basics - black, navy, grey and white. You will look sharp every time. Also don't skimp on grooming! There are so many women I know who don't even brush their hair. Brush your hair, put on makeup (if you don't like makeup, you can wash your face and apply moisturizer), make sure your outfit matches and take a second glance at yourself before you leave the house!
Read Every Day & Travel Often - The best thing you can do in this life is to read every day, whether it's a chapter or an entire book and travel often. Whether its abroad or a town thirty minutes away! Dream, wander and discover.
Remember Kindness is Free - (Now this is one I just don't get!) You never know what people are going through. Whether they are having a good day or a horrible one even a simple smile can go a long way. We need more kind and generous people in the world.
Treat others as equals, regardless of status, social class or personality type!
A Strong Voice - It is your right as a human being to speak up, use your voice and stand up for what you believe in. And if you like to swear - keep that at home, not in public!
A Firm Handshake - When introducing yourself, let the other person know you're interested in them. A firm handshake means your open to a new experience and that you are excited for a new relationship.
Be Polite - This goes hand in hand with kindness and treating others with respect so don't forget your manners. Say "please," "thank you," "have a good day" and "your welcome." Always look people in the eye when you're talking to them.
Collaboration over Competition - We just do better as a society and global community when we collaborate.
Be An Active Listener - (This one is extra important) Listen, listen, listen! I've been talked over my entire life so many people assumed I was shy when I was younger. The "shyness" label definitely bothered me, but instead of dwelling on it I decided to become an active listener. Now that we live in society where even listening to people seems to be a problem, I embrace this quality. So many people tell me I should have been a therapist (and therefore a lot of people trust me and what I have to say), it's not that I should be a therapist, more people need to be attentive listeners.
